Not so different
by Amphy
Summary: Yumi, after having always attended a public school, is forced to attend Lillian, an All Girls' Academy. Not only is she having a hard time adjusting to her new school, Sachiko, the school's most proper student, is also teaching her to behave as a lady!
1. Starting today, you're attending Lillian

I think it's kinda clear that I don't own Maria-sama ga Miteru.

**Chapter I. Starting today, you're attending Lillian!**

"So you're that special student." A boyish-looking girl stood before Yumi and watched her with a look of interest. Next to the boyish-looking girl stood a very girlish looking person wearing braids in her hair; on the other side of the bishounen-like girl sat a person who slightly resembled a Western doll, and next to her stood a younger girl with a bob cut.

"So I'm a special student now, huh. I'm honoured." Yumi was only slightly intimidated by the people standing before her. She looked around; the room she was sitting in was bright and had a serene atmosphere, just as the rest of the school had. She involuntarily shuddered. It was even worse than she had imagined.

"Could you please tell me why I've been summoned here on my first day of school?" Yumi asked to the boyish girl, who seemed to be the leader of the pack.

"Ah, of course," said the girl. "We'll explain as soon as the last member of the Yamayurikai is here- the Yamayurikai is the school's student council, in case you were wondering."

Yumi decided against saying that she really couldn't care less. After all, being rude on her first day of school wasn't the best way to start things of.

"So you guys seem to know me. Could I also please have your names? It makes talking easier, you know." Yumi looked expectantly from one to another.

The braided girl giggled softly. "Good thing Sachiko-sama isn't here yet, she would have exploded."

"Ah yes, how rude of us to not have introduced ourselves to you," the boyish girl said. "I'm Hasekura Rei, and I'm the Rosa Foetida. What that is, we shall explain to you when we're complete."

_Can't wait_, Yumi thought sarcastically. The image she had of the school wasn't getting any better if there were people around who called themselves a 'rose'.

Yumi learned that the others' names were Shimazu Yoshino, Toudou Shimako and Nijou Noriko; the person they were waiting for, was named Ogasawara Sachiko.

"She'll be here soon," said Rei. "And then we'll tell you why you've been summoned here." She smiled at Yumi, but the latter didn't return the smile. More than ever, Yumi wished that she was anywhere but here.

_-__One week ago-_

"You've got to be kidding me."

Yumi stared at her new school uniform with much dismay. A white sailor collar, a long skirt with pleats, the boring colours… It was just too much. She dashed downstairs to share her thoughts with her mother.

Miki, Yumi's mother, looked up from the magazine she was reading. "Yes, Yumi?" she asked when she saw her daughter standing before her.

"Have you seen that uniform, Mom?" said Yumi accusingly, as if those clothes were entirely her mother's fault.

"Yes of course, I put them on your bed. What's the problem with them?"

"Everything! They're awful! They're an assault on good taste!"

"You're just nitpicking, dear. They don't differ that much from your previous uniform. Besides, everyone at Lillian will wear that uniform, so nobody will care. Why should you?" said Miki in a bored fashion. The two of them had shared a lot of discussions regarding Yumi's new school already.

"Because everyone who attends that school out of her own free will must be out of her mind," Yumi answered forcefully. "That's why they don't care. They're all like little porcelain dolls who live in their own carefree world, a world with only girls. Ugh, it's a darn all-girls_'_ school, for Christ' sake!" Yumi threw her arms up in the air as if to strengthen her words.

"Yumi, watch your mouth," said Miki sternly.

"Why should I? I haven't watched it for the past 17 years, now have I?" said Yumi sarcastically.

"Hmmm, in a way, you haven't. And that's my fault, I admit," Miki added in a murmur. She slightly shook her head and turned her attention to her daughter again. "Foul language is not tolerated at Lillian, so as you know," she continued. "So if I were you, young lady, I'd start watching what I was saying."

"If you'd just let me attend another public school, I wouldn't have to deal with that," said Yumi, in the not so big hope that her mother would finally see the light and decide her daughter could just transfer to another public school instead of going to a Catholic all-girls' academy.

"We've been through this a million times, Yumi." Miki got out of the comfortable couch she was sitting in and made her way to the kitchen while Yumi was following her like a duckling. "And you know why we forced you to go to Lillian. It's your own fault you got kicked out of your previous school-"

"But as I've explained a million times, _Mom_, that guy was really pissing me off at that time! He's even known to piss off almost all of the girls at the school!" Yumi threw her arms up in the air again.

Miki looked at her daughter with a mixture of pity, amusement and understanding. "Yes, but others might have not been kicked out of their school if it were only that one incident. You've used up all of your credit throughout your middle school years, Yumi."

Yumi sighed loudly. Her mother made it sound like she was some sort of delinquent, which she wasn't, really. She just had a pretty strong mind of her own and knew how to stand her ground, which was necessary if you didn't want to get bullied at the school she had been attending since the beginning of middle school. Those traits of her had caused her to be involved in some minor incidents, like that time she had thrown a senpai's schoolbag in the water because he had been harassing a classmate of hers; but the last incident had been a 'major' one: she had kicked and then punched a guy who had been irritating her profoundly for a long time already, and it had been the guy's own dumb mistake to decide he had to take the staircase when he hadn't even regained his balance just yet, and because of it had fallen down the stairs, resulting in a broken leg.

Whenever Yumi thought about the incident, she got angry; really, it had been such a stupid thing, but the school had seen no choice but to kick her out. Fighting, in theory, was against the school's rules, but one wouldn't usually get expelled after a 'fight' like that; it was just as her mother had said: she had indeed used up all of her credit already. Then again, she had been lucky they had allowed her to finish her first year of high school there; this huge favour was granted because the incident had happened near the end of the school year and because she was a smart student, even though a troublesome one too.

A small nudge returned Yumi back to the present world. "But all of this has a good side too. It's about time you started to learn how to behave like a real girl. Lillian is an excellent school for that purpose, I've heard." Miki gave her daughter a kitchen knife and a pack of beans. "Now be a good girl and cut these beans for me. Yumi, you're going to Lillian, end of discussion."

Yumi groaned. At least she had those bloody beans she could take out her anger on.

_-The present-_

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting." As soon as Yumi laid eyes on the girl who had just entered the room, she knew this person was different than the other members of the student council.

"You must be Fukuzawa Yumi. I'm Ogasawara Sachiko," said the girl softly. "Speaking on behalf of the Yamayurikai and the school, I welcome you to Lillian Jogakuen."

"Thank you," Yumi replied. Sachiko sure was stiff in her ways.

"To reply on your comment of how you are a special student," said Rei as all of them sat themselves down, "you are special because you enter Lillian in your 2nd year of high school. As far as I know, that privilege has only been granted a few times in this school's long history."

"Now I feel even more honoured," said Yumi, which made Sachiko raise an eyebrow in response.

"You've been summoned here because we've been entrusted the task to make sure you learn the ways and rules of Lillian," Rei continued, ignoring Yumi's comment. "It's to help you feel more at home, here at this school."

Yumi bit back another remark and instead gave a small nod, hoping they would let her go sooner if she cooperated. "Thank you for taking the trouble, then."

"It is very important that you learn the rules of Lillian and act upon them." Now it was Sachiko who spoke. "The good name and traditions of this school have been passed from generation to generation throughout all of these years now."

"I'll try not to tarnish the good name of this school then." It was out before she knew it. Yumi cursed her big mouth. Though, the only one who really seemed offended by her way of speaking seemed to be Sachiko, whose eyes were narrowed to small slits now.

"I'm sure you won't," said Rei quickly, as if she was afraid something bad might happen. That made Yumi a bit curious- just a bit.

"Shall we begin now?" Shimako smiled politely at her. She didn't seem very much fazed about it all.

Yumi had to admit to herself that she was, in a way, struck in awe by this school and its students. None of them gave out a vibe of wanting to pester or make fun of her or anyone- but even though that aspect of the school was a good thing, the overall calm atmosphere didn't suit her well, just as she had predicted and feared. And she hadn't even learned about the rules that made Lillian Jogakuen so unique.

* * *

**A/N**: Writing hasn't been one of my activities for quite some time now, but I've been watching MariMite all over again and I've fallen in love with the characters all over again, too. I thought I'd try writing another story about them once more. AU-ish, because I have the feeling that I would taint the series if I picked up the story where they left off, LOL! And as always I'm asking you, readers, to let me know whether I should bother continue writing this story or not!

P.S. Truly my apologies for my other story, if you're reading it. It sucks for you, readers, for obvious reasons, but I think it sucks too, because I hate leaving a story unfinished and because I'm letting you readers down. But you can't force things that just aren't there. :(


	2. The argument

I don't own Maria-sama ga miteru.

**Chapter II. ****The argument**

Yumi had immediately known, from the moment that she had heard she was being sent to Lillian, that her new school life would be hell and that she'd be a total misfit. As soon as she got home, she sought the company of her younger brother Yuuki and started a long complaint about what she had learned that day about Lillian.

"…And they have something called a 'soeur system' there, where an upperclassman takes a kouhai under her wing and guides her throughout her high school years, and then they're called 'soeurs'! Sisters! And apparently, you're supposed to call that upperclassman 'onee-sama'. Could you believe something like that actually exists?" Yumi made a face, not knowing whether she had to laugh about something so ridiculous, or cry because she was enrolled in the academy where that ridiculous tradition was established.

"Yippieh. Sounds like much fun," Yuuki replied absent-mindedly, flipping through a comic book.

"Yuuki!"

"What?" Yuuki looked up and saw his sister looking at him angrily.

"I'm expecting some support of you here!"

"Support in what?" Yuuki got up from his bed and returned the comic book to its rightful place. "In hating your new school? But it doesn't seem like a bad place to me at all. You're just mocking it because mom and dad forced you to attend that school."

Yumi rolled her eyes. "Of course it's not a _bad_ place, if you're using terms of good and bad. I mean, everyone there seems practically an angel, but that's not what I meant. I need some mental support to cope with all of this!"

"Well, you know you'll always have my support," Yuuki said as he patted Yumi on the shoulder. "But it's only been one day at your school. I bet you even haven't met anyone yet. Relax. You'll get used to it just fine. Besides," he added in a grin, "it wouldn't be a bad thing if the people there could temper you down a bit."

"My temper is just fine, as long as no-one ticks me off," Yumi said, teasingly sticking out her tongue to her brother. "Besides," she murmured, more to herself, "I've already met some people there." And none of them really seemed her type, either.

The following day Yumi found herself in company of Yoshino, with whom she apparently shared the same class. She hadn't noticed the day before. She hadn't really cared to look around, either.

"Gokigenyou, Yumi-san."

"Hey, Shimazu-san." A casual hand wave accompanied Yumi's greeting.

"I guess the ways of Lillian haven't really sunk in you yet," said Yoshino in an amused tone.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Yumi asked. She noticed that the other students were following their conversation with much interest.

"Please call me Yoshino-san."

"Ah, yeah, now I remember." Yumi ignored the faint whispers and stares from her classmates. "The calling each other by our first name. Right, sorry, I forgot that one. I'll remember it now, though."

She looked around. It was lunch time now, and she wondered whether she could find a quiet spot to eat her lunch. It wasn't as if she felt threatened in any sort by her classmates, but they did make her feel rather uneasy, in a different way than she was used to. They made her feel like she was some sort of interesting exhibition. Annoying guys and mean girls, she could deal with. This situation, however, was a different story. It wasn't very cool to tell them to back off when they were essentially doing nothing wrong.

Gathering her belongings, she noticed that Yoshino was still standing next to her desk, looking at her with an expression of interest on her face.

"Do you need something?" Yumi asked as she got up from her seat and stuffed the last books in her bag.

"Yumi-san, are you going to eat lunch now?" It was now that Yumi saw that Yoshino was already packed and ready to leave the classroom.

Yumi shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. It's lunch time, after all."

"Would you care in joining me for lunch, then?"

Yumi contemplated. "Yeah, sure, let's eat lunch together. As long as you can get me out of here, and to a place where there're less people." The two of them were still the centre of their classmates' attention, and Yumi didn't mind Yoshino's company at all, as long as it got her away from this stiffening atmosphere. Besides, the girl seemed somewhat different than her other classmates, whatever her looks were.

"Then follow me."

The two girls made their way outside the school building to the school grounds. The calm atmosphere had lessened a bit because it was lunch time, but Yumi still felt like she was part of some heavenly, out-of-this-world place. She had a hard time keeping up with Yoshino's pace too—but that was due to the fact that Yoshino was walking so slowly.

"Hey, can I ask you something?" Yumi asked her companion, and without waiting for an answer, continued. "Why is it that everybody here walks like they're old and don't wanna break a leg? I mean, in any other school I've attended, we all just rush through the hallways to get where we want to be as fast as possible."

"Walking slowly is preferred here," Yoshino answered mildly, "so as to not disturb the pleats of our skirt."

"…Right." Yumi wondered how Yoshino could say such a thing without bursting into laughter. She sighed quietly and touched her grumbling stomach. "But hey, do you mind if we hurry up a bit? I'm sort of starving here. Where are you taking us anyway?"

"The Rose Mansion, where we were yesterday-"

"Okay, great, then I know the way!" Yumi exclaimed. She gave Yoshino a light pat on the back and picked up her pace. "Come on, Yoshino-san! Last one there is a slimy octopus!"

Yoshino had no choice but to hurry after Yumi and when they finally got there, both of their sailor collars were a bit crooked—but Yumi's had been crooked to begin with, so she didn't particularly care.

"You're the slimy octopus!" said Yumi, grinning, and patted Yoshino on the back again.

"N-Not fair!" Yoshino huffed. Her cheeks were a bit red. "You were already ahead of me when you made up that rule!"

Yumi laughed lightly. "Oh really now? We can have a rematch anytime you want."

Yoshino opened her mouth like she wanted to say something, but then her eyes widened when she noticed how dishevelled she looked like. She quickly fixed her appearance and without going into Yumi's friendly taunt motioned they should enter the Rose Mansion.

"So you often eat lunch here by yourself?" Yumi asked when they were busy eating their bento's.

"No, Shimako-san often sits here as well," Yoshino replied. "She'll be here later because, well, we almost ran to this place…"

Yumi grinned. "Guess I was able to make you forget that rule, huh."

"That was accidentally," Yoshino said, sounding combative and embarrassed at the same time. "It's because you made it into a game. I don't like loosing. Ah…"

Their conversation was interrupted when the door opened. Shimako and Noriko entered the room, followed by Sachiko and Rei.

"We thought you might be here," said Rei when she noticed Yoshino. "We came along with Shimako because we need to go over some last minor things for the Maria Festival."

"Gokigenyou, Yumi-san." A friendly smile accompanied Shimako's greeting. Yumi raised a hand in response.

"Do you guys need me to go away? I mean, I wouldn't want to stand in the way of your planning. Ah, the name of the student council was Yamayurikai or something like that, right?"

"Yamayurikai is correct," Rei answered. "You can stay here a bit longer if you want. We first have to eat lunch ourselves too."

Rei, Noriko and Shimako seated themselves, but Sachiko walked around the table towards Yumi until Yumi had to look up to see the girl's face. The expression she could see on Sachiko's face was one of strong disapproval.

"Please fix your appearance. Your uniform is looking highly crumpled and your hair is in a state of disarray."

Yumi stared at Sachiko with one eyebrow raised. "Okay, thanks for letting me know?" was her only reaction to the girl's reprimand. Sachiko's eyes immediately narrowed a bit.

"Then, would you please do so, now you've acknowledged that you've understood what I was telling you?" she said, her voice sounding colder.

Out of the corner of her eye Yumi saw Yoshino's face standing panicky. Deciding not to act as she was told, Yumi stood up so she was face to face with Sachiko—only, she was smaller than her, so she was still looking up a bit.

"Like I said, thanks for the notice," said Yumi boldly. "But I don't see why I should do whatever you order me to. I don't remember you telling me that the members of the student council are also the bosses of this school, although you've told me plenty of other things yesterday." Yumi heard a barely audible sigh and out of the corner of her eye she could see Yoshino's head hanging low now.

"Such impudence!" Sachiko hissed. She looked beyond indignant now. "It is our task to guide the underclassmen who have no onee-sama—and in your case, guidance clearly seems like no luxury!"

"Look who is impudent now!" Yumi replied angrily. "I was just sitting here, minding my own business, until you came along and told me to tidy myself up, and then you insult me by saying I clearly need guidance? Who the heck do you think you are? You're just one year older than me!"

"One year means a lot in high school! And even so, you're younger than me; you ought to show some respect to your upperclassmen! But I'm letting myself get carried away here." Sachiko took a deep breath and her expression softened up a bit, although her eyes were still narrow and icy blue.

"Whatever. I'm out of here." Yumi packed her stuff and made her way to the door.

"Where are you going? We're not done with this conversation." She could hear Sachiko say, but she didn't bother to turn around.

"Yes we are. And now I'm going to a place where I can eat my lunch without people telling me what to do." Yumi looked over her shoulder and saw Yoshino staring at her with slightly apologetic look. "Ah, thanks for bringing me here, Yoshino-san," she said and closed the door behind her.

Yumi trotted through the school grounds, lost in her fury, not caring that she was sending out killer-vibes and that the people who passed her all stared at her in with big eyes. Seriously! Who the heck did that Sachiko-woman think she was? At her previous school she never did what others told her to do, and she sure as hell wouldn't do it at this school either, although bossing her around was called 'guiding an underclassman' here. Such nonsense.

By the time lunch break was over Yumi had cooled down, but not entirely. She had noticed that none of the other students had made a comment about her appearance, so she had come to the conclusion that Sachiko was nothing more than a busybody. In the future, she would just have to avoid that person as much as possible.

Lost in her thoughts, Yumi was idly drawing little figures in her maths book until the teacher would come when she found herself in the company of Yoshino again.

"Sorry for earlier," Yoshino said sheepishly. "I didn't know Sachiko-sama would be coming. I would've warned you otherwise."

"Warn me? You mean for Sachiko-san?" Yumi let out a barky laugh. "So she's someone people should look out for? That doesn't surprise me at all!"

"No, it's not like that at all." Yoshino looked around to see if no-one was following their conversation. When she was sure none of their classmates was paying attention to them, she continued. "Rose Chinensis is someone who follows the rules and traditions of this school very strictly. Well, that's natural, seeing as she probably feels she has to set an example as a Rosa, but Sachiko-sama has also never known otherwise, because of her upbringing. In any case, if she sees someone who isn't exactly following Lillian's dressing code, like you were with your, eh, disorderly appearance," Yoshino grinned sheepishly again, "then she will do in her might to correct that."

"Thanks for the heads up. Yeah, I figured she was a really strict person, I mean, the way she was talking to me about Lillian yesterday… Geez!" Yumi rolled her eyes. Yoshino did her best not to laugh. "You guys, I mean the other members of the student council, didn't really seem to mind the way I talk or dress. Heck, you even invited me to have lunch with you!"

"Well, you're not exceptionally rude or shabby-looking or anything," was Yoshino's reply. Yumi couldn't suppress a grin. "Though we of the Yamayurikai all have the impression that your ways are very different than those of the other people at this school. But to me, you seem like a very interesting person, Yumi-san…" At this point Yoshino had to return to her seat because the teacher had entered the classroom.

"But, I just wanted to tell you," she quickly added quietly, walking backwards to her seat at the front row, "in case when you see Sachiko-sama…"

"Don't worry about it," Yumi whispered back. "Then I'll just have to avoid her, right?"

* * *

**A/N:** I'm glad you didn't mind this Yumi. I'm trying to portray her like a more saucy teenager, not afraid to say what's on her mind, but not particularly rude. I'm also going to try to have the other characters' personalities not differ too much from the anime's. Hmm, but maybe not Sachiko. We'll see. :-) By the way, thanks for reviewing, elfspirit7, Honulicious, oriack, choki-choki and kurakami! I forgot how joyful the feeling was of knowing that there are people who actually want to read your story. :D

Oh yeah, one more thing, this story is also labeled as 'humor', but that's because FF doesn't allow us to pick one label for a story anymore. :/ I just picked humor cause I thought all the other categories fit worse. Anyhow, it's just to say that it's not in my intention to have this story make you laugh your pants off!


	3. Prelude to disaster

Nope, still don't own.

**Chapter III. ****Prelude to disaster**

_Part 1._

"Calm down, Sachiko."

"I am calm."

"No you're not. Your left eye is twitching a bit. It's scaring the heck out of me."

Sachiko raised her hand to touch her left eyelid, coughed softly and dropped her arm again. She didn't look at Rei but instead picked up her bag. "Shall we get going now?"

Rei nodded, grinning just a little bit, closed her bag and together with Sachiko made her way out of the Rose Mansion. It was late in the afternoon. The two of them had stayed late after the final meeting about the upcoming Maria Festival. Earlier that day Sachiko had experienced an unpleasant encounter with the 'special student', as Rei liked to call the new student who had entered Lillian in her 2nd year of high school.

"I won't believe it isn't still bothering you," Rei said as though she was continuing some unfinished conversation. They were standing before Maria-sama.

"What are you talking about?" Sachiko asked, not looking up from her praying.

"About what happened earlier," Rei answered as they continued their way outside the school grounds. "With the new student, Fukuzawa Yumi-chan. It only shows that she really doesn't fit the profile of a student from Lillian at all."

"Of course not. She's a new student, after all. She'll learn in due time."

"Yes, but still…" Rei hesitated.

Sachiko abruptly stopped in her tracks so Rei was forced to look over her shoulder to see where her companion was. "Rei, you obviously have something you wish to share with me. Would you please do so in a manner that leaves no mistake about the subject you're discussing?"

Rei looked as if she was contemplating things, but eventually shook her head and motioned Sachiko to continue their walk. "It's nothing. You're right, Yumi-chan will probably learn in due time."

Sachiko couldn't help but notice the slightly amused undertone Rei's voice carried, but decided not to go into it. It was true that Yumi wasn't suited for Lillian at all: she was incredibly bold, her demeanour did not match a lady's at all and she had acted disrespectful to her. Nevertheless, Sachiko was convinced Yumi would adjust to what was deemed the proper behaviour at this school as soon as she got used to her new environment.

The following day Sachiko arrived a bit late at school as an accident had caused her bus to be stuck in a total traffic jam. However, as fit for a lady, she didn't resort to running across the school grounds in order to perhaps make it in time for her first class. If she would explain the situation properly to the teacher, she would understand.

That, however, was clearly not everyone's philosophy. When she was walking towards Maria-sama, the statue being only a dozen metres away, Sachiko could hear running footsteps behind her. She turned around and was actually not surprised to see Yumi running in her direction. Sachiko turned around to tell her to stop running, but as she opened her mouth Yumi ran passed her, not giving her one glance, although the girl had most likely clearly seen that she had wanted to say something. By the time she had turned around again, Yumi was already several metres further, still running like the devil was chasing her. Sachiko was a bit dumbstruck by the rudeness of Yumi's action, but decided that she wouldn't lower herself to shouting at Yumi to stop. She'd just have to reprove the girl some other time.

By the time Sachiko got to her classroom the lessons had already started. She apologized to the teacher and quickly went to her seat. Paying attention, however, proved to be more difficult than she had anticipated. It was just that, in all her years she was attending Lillian now, she had never met anyone as Yumi. Thinking about the girl's behaviour annoyed her, and Sachiko hardly noticed that she was scribbling nonsense in her notebook. She sincerely hoped that Yumi would adjust her ways. It was certainly not _her_ task to make sure that happened, but she _would_ admonish the girl if she was given a reason to, like yesterday. For now, Sachiko decided, she would just observe how Yumi would evolve in her interactions.

Two weeks passed; Sachiko was sitting in the meeting room of the Bara no Yakata, filling in a form for the 3rd years' upcoming day trip. Rei was sitting across the table filling in the same form, and the younger Yamayurikai members were doing homework. It was then and there that the topic of Fukuzawa Yumi came up again.

"Yoshino… Did you draw this?" Rei pointed at a doodle at the back of Yoshino's history book.

"Ah, no… Yumi-san must've done that when she borrowed my book. I haven't even noticed it myself."

"She can draw pretty well," said Rei as she examined the little doodle more closely.

"Books are not meant to be drawn in," said Sachiko without looking up from her sheet of paper. "They are meant to read or study from. You should tell her that, Yoshino-chan."

"I don't think that she'd listen to me." Yoshino fidgeted a bit in her chair. "Her own books are full with little drawings of the same sort."

"Well, I assume you've become friends? Seeing as you lent her your book and she dared to draw in it… If a friend tells her, she might listen."

When Sachiko got no reply, she looked up and saw Yoshino looking a bit embarrassed.

"What's the matter, Yoshino-chan?" Sachiko asked. By now Shimako and Noriko too had taken their eyes off of their homework to look at Yoshino, who seemed to struggle with herself a bit.

"I don't want to tell her she shouldn't draw in her books anymore, Sachiko-sama." Yoshino now looked like she was expecting to be yelled at.

"And why not?" Sachiko put down her pencil and folded her hands neatly in front of her on the table, although it stung a bit to think that she was the only one who wanted to make the effort of teaching Yumi some basic manners.

"Sachiko…" Although Rei's expression was of understanding when she looked at Sachiko, her voice did carry a hint of warning in it.

Sachiko turned her attention to her friend. "I'm merely inquiring why Yoshino-chan is unwilling to inform Yumi-chan about it."

"Just drop it," said Rei, again before Yoshino could react. "I know you have the best intentions in wanting to let Yumi-chan know how her actions are seen, but you're not her onee-sama. Besides, we have no right reprimand her seeing as Yumi-chan's books are still Yumi-chan's belongings, and if Yoshino doesn't mind the drawings on her own book, neither should you."

Sachiko opened her mouth again, but she actually didn't know what to say. Rei was right; she essentially had no right to make Yumi aware of her bad habits seeing as they weren't soeurs.

Sachiko watched how the quiet atmosphere in the Rose Mansion returned, and turned her attention back to her sheet of paper. A few minutes later, however, she was still reading the same sentence over and over again. True, Rei was right about everything, but that didn't mean she would just sit back and do nothing while Yumi was out there, on her own tainting the image of the Lillian student by doing whatever pleased her to do! Although she had not encountered Yumi the past weeks, she had seen her running around the campus several times—and the shocking thing had been that the girl had literally been running.

Sachiko felt annoyed now that she was rethinking all those times she had seen Yumi on campus but had always been too far to speak to the girl. She would care far less if she just didn't see Yumi, but it seemed like wherever she went on the school grounds, there was Yumi, only far away. Though, it probably only seemed that the girl was ever-present, because of that crooked collar and all that running. How troublesome.

By the time Sachiko had to leave the Rose Mansion, she still hadn't completely filled in her form.

"If you will excuse me now, I have an errand to make, so I must leave early. See you tomorrow." Sachiko closed her bag with a click and headed outside. On her way to the bus stop near the school gates, she wordlessly summed up the things she needed to buy. It wasn't until she arrived there that she noticed the long line of people already waiting for the bus to arrive. When it arrived, Sachiko had no choice but to stand near the entrance of the bus, as she was the last person to get on the vehicle and as it had already been rather crowded to begin with.

At the next stop, no-one got off the bus, and one person got on it. That person was Yumi. She was still wearing her uniform, although the sailor collar had been loosened. Her hair was also loose now, Sachiko noticed, and not in two pigtails, like the girl normally wore her hair in.

"Gokigenyou, Yumi-chan." They had no way to avoid each other anyway, as Yumi was forced to stand next to Sachiko in the crowded bus.

"Oh. Hey." Yumi didn't look all too enthusiastic in her greeting.

"It is quite a coincidence that we meet each other here," said Sachiko calmly. She had decided not to mention Yumi's appearance just yet, although seeing the loose collar did irk her.

"Yeah, it is," Yumi replied, still not too enthusiastically. "I have some errands I gotta do for my mom, so..."

"I see. I have some errands I need to take care of as well."

The two of them lapsed in silence. Sachiko was having a hard time trying not to inform Yumi about her uniform and her speech—not that the latter was poor or anything, but simply really not up to Lillian's standards, just like the rest of the girl's manners.

"Sorry to say this, Sachiko-san, but you look like you're about to blow apart." Awoken out of her thoughts, Sachiko turned her head to see Yumi looking at her in slight amusement, a grin visible on her lips.

"Excuse me?" Any sane person would _not_ say such a thing to someone one barely knew. Sachiko felt annoyance building up in her again.

"Oh wow, I shouldn't have said it. Now it's even more visible."

Sachiko closed her eyes, took a deep breath and slowly opened them again. This wasn't the best time to be throwing a fit at someone, even though she felt it was justified if she did.

"Do you have not the slightest clue how to behave yourself?" Sachiko finally asked in a restrained voice.

"Sorry, I guess that was a bit out of line, my apologies." Although Yumi looked earnest in her apology, Sachiko couldn't stop the flood of irritations coming out now.

"Could you also please refrain from loosening your sailor collar when wearing the uniform? That collar is a part of the seifuku and wearing it in that manner is no less than a disgrace for the school."

Now it was Yumi's turn to look irritated. "Look, I said I was sorry, right? I really do, so there's no point in trying to criticise the way I dress myself, and especially not outside of school!"

"You're still wearing the school uniform, though, and everyone knows it is Lillian's. So wearing that uniform in such a manner, even outside of school, will cause people to think the school tolerates such behaviour—while it does not, although you don't really seem to care, not even during the school hours!"

"Now what's that supposed to mean?" Yumi looked angry, and Sachiko noticed that the people around them began to look and whisper.

"It means," said Sachiko in a whispery voice, "exactly what it means. That you don't particularly seem to mind the rules and traditions that define Lillian, such as not running on the campus grounds and general ladylike behaviour..!"

The bus slowed down as it reached another stop. Blank was the way Yumi was looking at Sachiko. The bus stopped completely.

"And you think that I will change if you keep scolding me?" Yumi asked in slight mock as she slowly walked backwards to the bus entrance. "Guess again." And after those words, Yumi jumped off the bus, leaving Sachiko alone.

_Part 2._

Yumi cursed herself for setting her alarm clock at the wrong hour. She took a glance at her watch; it indicated that there were only 5 minutes left before the first period would start. When the bus finally stopped, she jumped off and ran as fast as she could to the school gates. Once she passed them, she didn't slow down but continued her flight, hoping she could still make it in time if she hurried up.

Running along the main road of the school grounds, the one that lead to Maria-sama, Yumi could see someone in the far distance, quickly coming nearer as she kept up her fast pace. It was not before long that Yumi could recognize the raven-haired girl as Sachiko. Memories of Yoshino telling her that walking slowly was preferred here were flooding back into her mind, and Yumi was certain that, if given the chance, Sachiko would make a comment about her running here. So she'd just have to make sure the girl didn't get a chance to do so. When she was close, she saw Sachiko turn around slowly; she could see the older girl open her mouth, but she didn't wait to listen to what the other might have to say, and continued running as fast as she could, passing Sachiko long before the girl had had a chance to say something. Yumi couldn't suppress the grin on her lips.

Lunch time of that same day was spent again in company of Yoshino, in the Rose Mansion. Shimako and Noriko were present too. Yumi had taken the shot to go to the Rose Mansion, even after the ordeal from the previous day and her vow to avoid Sachiko as much as possible, but only after Yoshino had guaranteed that Sachiko would certainly not be present, because all of the third years would be eating in their respective class rooms today.

The following days Yumi always shared her lunch time in the company of Yoshino, Shimako and Noriko in the Rose Mansion. She was starting to like them, and she had come to like the mansion for some reason, although it was the place the student council held their meetings.

During one such a lunch break, Shimako asked her a question almost inevitably asked to all new students.

"How do you like it here so far, Yumi-san?" Shimako was sitting across the table. Yumi thought that that girl was by far the most angelic-like person she had encountered here so far, with her gentle aura, wavy hair and friendly voice and face.

Yumi slowly chewed on her rice ball. Flat out saying that she felt she didn't belong here was perhaps too rude, especially when she was answering a person who was so downright nice, so she thought of a nice way to formulate her thoughts—it was the Lillian way to do things, she realized in slight amusement.

"Let me put it this way," said Yumi slowly after she had swallowed her food. "The atmosphere of this school in very quiet and peaceful, and nice in a way, I guess. I'm sure it suits about all of the students of this school, or else they wouldn't be attending Lillian, but as for me... I knew from the very beginning that this sort of environment would not be my habitat, so to speak; and after two weeks here, I'm still sharing that thought now."

"In other words, this school wasn't really your choice, and you are of opinion that you don't belong here," said the sharp Noriko. Yumi shifted her attention to her, and nodded.

"Well, I think I know how you feel, Yumi-sama." Noriko took a glance at Shimako, gave her a quick smile and turned her attention back to Yumi. "I entered this school in my first year of middle school, and I felt different than all of the other girls. It lasted so for a while, until I met Shimako-sama." At this point, a smile indicating pure contentment appeared on Noriko's face. "She helped me accustom to this school and love its atmosphere, without her even doing anything but be herself. I guess what I'm trying to say is that if there's a person here that you're more than gladly willing to stay for, the stay becomes much more enjoyable."

Yumi blinked her eyes a good few times. No wonder Noriko had been made Shimako's petite soeur the very moment she entered high school! Yet to hear the girl speak so tenderly about her onee-sama, made Yumi wonder if their relationship wasn't more than it seemed. Even if it was at a school as this one, speaking so lovingly about one's closest friend was not very normal. Besides, with Lillian being 'girls only', there were bound to be romantic same-sex involvements of some kind; and she had the feeling that the school's soeur-system made its contribution plenty in developing relationships of those sort.

"Hmmm, well, I don't know about that," Yumi replied. "I don't think I'll find a person like that in this school. No offence to you guys," she quickly added, looking from Yoshino to Shimako to Noriko, giving them a quick smile, "I like you and you're nice to me and all that, but well, what Shimako-san means to Noriko-chan is clearly on a much higher level. What I'm trying to say is, it'd have to be a miracle if what happened to you, Noriko-chan, should happen to me as well."

Later that day, Yumi was walking towards a bus station a good distance away from Lillian. There was actually a bus stop near the school gates, but she hadn't wanted to wait there because of all the Lillian students still lingering around, perhaps waiting to take the same bus as her. She also wanted to have some distance from the school itself. It meant that she'd have to take the next bus and wait a little while longer, but she didn't particularly mind, although she was already running late; today was a beautiful day, and she was going to town.

Yumi loosened her collar and then her hair, feeling a bit less cramped after doing so. Wearing her hair in two pigtails wasn't actually her style, but ever since her grandmother, who she had loved very much, passed away more than a year ago, she had started wearing her hair like that; it had pleased her grandmother so much when Yumi had worn those pigtails when she had just been a little girl.

When the bus arrived, Yumi saw it was crowded in there. She shrugged; it just meant she'd have to keep standing. However, when she got on the vehicle, she saw none other than Sachiko standing there. She had no choice than to stand next to her.

"Gokigenyou, Yumi-chan."

"Oh. Hey." This sucked. She had succeeded rather well in avoiding Sachiko for the past two weeks, although she had seen the girl looking at her from the far distance a few times, probably frustrated that she couldn't say anything about her running around the campus. That thought cheered Yumi up a bit, and it was enough for her to blurt out her thoughts out loud. She couldn't help herself; seeing Sachiko almost blow apart seemed so funny to her.

The rest of the conversation, however, wiped away that faint cheerful feeling instantly and more than that, she was getting angry.

"Now what's that supposed to mean?" How the heck could someone be so annoying? She had had plenty of experience with annoying people—but Sachiko was being annoying in a whole different way!

"It means exactly what it means. That you don't particularly seem to mind the rules and traditions that define Lillian, such as not running on the campus grounds and general ladylike behaviour..!"

That was the last straw. Yumi had to get off the bus before she harmed the girl standing next to her in a way. She did her best to appear calm, feeling how the bus slowed down, approaching a bus stop where she planned to get out. Never mind that it wasn't the right one; she would just walk the last kilometres to her destination.

"And you think that I will change if you keep scolding me?" She said mockingly, making her way off the bus. Sachiko's words sure as hell had a different effect on her. "Guess again." She hoped the girl would realize it and keep her mouth shut in the future.

* * *

Thanks, merci, danke for reviewing~


	4. Disaster avoided

I don't own MariMite.

**Chapter IV. Disaster avoided**

"Get real!"

"Excuse me?"

Yumi rolled her eyes.

"Ugh, I means that I think you're kidding!"

"Oh? Well, I am not kidding, if that is what you're thinking. If you agree, both of us will benefit from it, I'm sure of that."

"I know how _you_ will benefit from it, but what's in it for me?"

"Don't you want to learn how to behave like a lady?"

Yumi stared at Sachiko in disbelief. "Not particularly, no?"

"Perhaps you do not see the benefits of it now, but when you're older, you'll be grateful that you've had that guidance. In the course of your life, you will find yourself in situations where such behaviour is required. If you can't act properly then, what will you do?"

"I don't know, make something up? Come on, you're assuming that I'll go to fancy parties and stuff like that in the future!"

"It's better to be prepared than to find yourself helpless, not knowing what to do."

Yumi fixed her gaze upon Sachiko, staring in her eyes a good ten seconds or so before slouching a little. She had not seen one hint of humour in those dark eyes, if ever they showed a glint of it anyways. "Oh my god, you really are serious about this, aren't you."

"I don't quite understand why you have been doubtful of my intentions before; I have been serious right from the start of this conversation."

Yumi could still not remove the expression of disbelief off of her face. She was a bit in a daze; this was the least she had expected when she had noticed Sachiko approach her when she was on her way to the Rose Mansion to have lunch with Yoshino and the others.

The path where that happened had been, at that particular point, the only road to the mansion, and Yumi had seen no escape to avoid the girl. When Sachiko had made halt before her, Yumi had immediately recalled the last time she had had an encounter with the third year, although it had happened more than a week before.

After Sachiko had inquired Yoshino to leave them, so they could have a conversation just with the two of them, Yumi had still been fairly clueless about whatever this was all about. Until Sachiko had opened her mouth and dropped that bomb on her.

"Although we are not soeurs, and I have no desire to enter that relationship with you, I still have a strong desire to guide you in a way, but don't misunderstand me when I say 'guidance'; that guidance is not the same as an onee-sama gives her petite soeur. Guidance in a soeur-relationship has many aspects to it, but I wish to only guide you in one particular way; I wish to train you, make you conscious about your manners and demeanour, so you will have no difficulties behaving properly according to the situation."

Sachiko had said it all like a speech she had learned by heart. At first, Yumi had been staring at the girl for quite some time in silence, until she had managed to utter one word.

"Wha..?"

To that, Sachiko had immediately replied with, "This is not the correct way to react on something, and it's certainly not the way a well-educated person would react on things."

And as a reaction to that, ignoring the unintentional insult in Sachiko's words, Yumi had found her voice back. "Wait. Hold up. Rewind here. So, I think I understood, but let me say it aloud. I think I heard you telling me that you want to teach me how to become a lady."

"It is not teaching, because teaching requires actual lessons, whereas I shall merely be pointing out your manners if they are ill-fit, a bit like before, but unlike before, I would have your consent." Sachiko had then made a slight bow with her head. "I would, of course, do so in a manner seen as acceptable for the both of us. Last week you have given me the strong hint that you would, in fact, not change your ways if I kept reprimanding you. That is, of course, not what I desire. This guidance would mean I would not so much reprimand you, but more counsel you—of course, with the intention that you would follow that advice. In other words, I would not only point out the habits that are not fit for a student of Lillian Jogakuen, but I would also inform you of what would be seen as the proper way to behave."

And then Yumi had replied with, "Get real!"

And so here she was, still looking at Sachiko, still not completely believing it wasn't a total joke. She couldn't utter a word; she could just stand there, before the third year, thinking that this whole thing was absolutely a new experience in her life, and she didn't really know how to react on it. Well, of course she knew that she would decline this absurd proposal, but the absurdity of the situation was still trying to sink in fully. At this point, she wasn't annoyed by Sachiko, not really; she was more having a strange sense of awe, because the girl seemed quite determined in making her behave more as a 'lady'. Perhaps Sachiko had suffered a blow on the head as a child, Yumi thought in slight amusement. That could really explain her way of thinking.

It was Sachiko who eventually broke the silence that had lingered on and on since Yumi entered her state of daze. "I do not expect an answer from you right away. I shall give you time to think about my offer, perhaps we can agree the deadline as a week from now?"

Yumi shook her head lightly, like a dog does to get the water out of its ears. "No, don't bother giving me a deadline," she said. "Because I already know what my answer is. But, uh, before that... I guess I should thank you for offering me this?" Then she put a hand on Sachiko's shoulder as a sign of... well, she didn't really know herself, but she felt it needed to be done. Like some sort of comfort for what was about to come.

Sachiko didn't shake off the hand although she had flinched a bit at the touch; instead, she merely stared at Yumi in polite confusion.

"Thank you for taking the time and proposing this to me, and I'm sure it is meant well," Yumi continued with more confidence, her hand still resting on Sachiko's shoulder, "but I'll have to decline. Sorry."

"Why is that so? You haven't given it much thought yet," was Sachiko's reply on the rejection. She was frowning slightly.

Yumi let go of the girl's shoulder and shrugged. "It's not something that requires much thought to come up with an answer, at least not for me. I couldn't possibly do this."

"Could you please elaborate on that?" Sachiko seemed calm, but Yumi could sense how the girl's aura was giving out cold vibes now.

"Okay. For starters, I think it's just weird," Yumi said. "I suppose it's sort of normal at this school, with the soeur-system, but I've never heard of such a thing before I came here." That was definitely an important reason, but the other was even more important. " Secondly, it just isn't me. I'm not the type of girl who lets herself being guided. Seriously, with knowledge of everything that has passed between us now, could you imagine me being guided in a way?"

There was a short moment of silence before Sachiko replied. "I can't answer that. But I had hoped you would at least consider it if I asked it directly and made my intentions clear. I was hoping you'd understand."

"Understand what exactly?" said Yumi, the one frowning a bit now. "That you want to change me into a typical Lillian student? What's there to understand about?"

Sachiko looked at Yumi incredulously. "Why, my intentions behind it, of course! I wish to preserve Lillian's image as a school for maidens, nothing more; surely you did not think I would go through all this trouble for some other reason, whichever it may have been?"

Truth to be told, that idea had not crossed Yumi's mind at all. She had merely thought that Sachiko was an annoying meddler who liked to irritate her just because she wasn't like everyone else, someone who wanted to dominate her; she had thought it was something personal, while in essence, it really wasn't; Sachiko would have reprimanded any other student who stood out in the 'wrong' way, just because she wanted to preserve the school's image. It shed a new light on things, but it still didn't mean she wanted to be guided. And she was also of opinion that Sachiko's ways to ensure the preservation of the school's image sucked.

"Okay, yeah, so you want to preserve the school's image, I get that now," said Yumi. "But it still won't change the fact that I don't want to be guided."

"If you knew how important it is for me, you might," Sachiko muttered softly, as if to herself. Then she sighed and closed her eyes as to compose herself. When she opened them again, Yumi saw how the eyes stood determined now.

"I don't plan on giving up, just so you know," Sachiko said. It surprised Yumi a bit to hear so much resolution in her voice. "I will have you adjust to the customs of Lillian Jogakuen."

Yumi could barely suppress a groan; she wasn't looking forward to whatever Sachiko had up her sleeve. And it was only about a month after the beginning of the new school year; there were still plenty of months to come. Then, however, an idea hit her as sudden as lightning. Something that might end the dispute in the long run.

"And I'm sure you can't make me," she said matter-of-factly. "But to avoid any more quarrels, why don't we make a compromise for the time being?" Sachiko raised an eyebrow. "I mean, you clearly want to push through your will, but so do I—and we both have reasons for that. So why don't we try to understand each other's reasons first?"

"What do you mean? And what is your reason? You haven't given me one," Sachiko replied. She was looking sceptical, but she didn't seem to completely dismiss the idea, so Yumi continued.

"I have, well, kinda, but you don't understand." Sachiko opened her mouth; Yumi raised a hand to indicate she wasn't done speaking yet. "So what I'm trying to say with this compromise, is that you try and make me understand your motivation, and I will try to do the same; this way, we both have an idea of what drives us to make the choices we make. And that could lead to answers. It could lead to solutions."

Yumi grinned a bit; she felt like she was acting kind of grown-up now, she couldn't remember ever trying to solve a problem this way. But this was a situation she couldn't possibly end physically, like giving Sachiko a black eye so she'd leave her alone, because it was, well, not appropriate. She hoped by making Sachiko realize why she was the way she was, the girl would accept it and leave her alone with her ways and habits.

"I don't expect an answer from you right away. I'll give you time to think about it, perhaps we can agree the deadline as a week from now?" said Yumi when Sachiko didn't answer, teasing her a bit by copying her words.

"That is not necessary," Sachiko replied, maybe somewhat harsher than she had intended, not entirely insensitive by the light provocation. "Your idea sounds very fair to me. How shall we do this exactly?"

Yumi shrugged. "Oh, that's up to you. I mean, you decide on your own how you want to make me understand, and I decide on my own how I want to accomplish the same with you. But let's agree now that until both of us have done our part, we both leave each other alone, unless it's absolutely necessary, okay?"

Again, Sachiko didn't answer immediately, but she eventually nodded her head in agreement. "Fine. What is the deadline? I won't wait months until you finally decide to make a move—that would only disadvantage me."

Yumi smirked. Clever Sachiko. "Okay, how about the deadline is a month from now? We have a month to do our thing, and after that month, we evaluate how the situation is, and hopefully we can come up with a solution then."

"That is an acceptable deadline. I believe we have confirmed ourselves an agreement." Sachiko bowed her head slighty, but her face stood determined again, although it seemed somewhat different than before.

"Great. Good luck, and I guess I'll see you around, then," Yumi said. She bowed her head in a ladylike fashion too, as a sign of truce, or maybe it was mock, and walked passed Sachiko in the direction of the Rose Mansion.

No doubt Sachiko would try her very best to make her understand and thus change her view on things, but Yumi couldn't see how the girl could accomplish that; she was actually more confident in her abilities in making Sachiko understand _her_ ways. Yet the most important thing was that she had managed to avoid something unpleasant, although she could not imagine how the following month could be entirely free of unpleasant experiences.

* * *

**A/N:** I noticed that it takes just a bit more time for me to update every time. I'm trying to be constant between updates, but there are always some things coming up. Besides, I've updated way too fast in the beginning, I can't really imagine keeping up that pace anymore. :p

If you have any thoughts about the story, feel free to leave a review!


	5. The party

I don't own the series I write fanfiction about.

**Chapter V. The party**

Yumi stepped out the limousine, her eyes momentarily blinded by the bright light shining through the manor's open doorway, although it hardly seemed a normal doorway to the girl. The gigantic wooden doors were swung open entirely, revealing a fantastic hallway almost entirely made out of marble: the floor, the walls and the incredible staircase across the hall. There was an impressive chandelier, responsible for most of the pleasant yellow light filtering outside; it was hanging about four metres above the floor, although Yumi could not see where it was attached to the ceiling, simply because she could not see the ceiling from where she was standing, namely on one of the lower steps of the stairs that lead to the entrance of the mansion. She could hear music, which seemed to come from a room that seemed adjacent the hallway. There was another enormous doorway at the end of the hall, next to the staircase, and it probably gave entrance to the room the music came from.

Yumi hesitantly took a few steps until she stood on the porch, not sure if she was allowed to enter the manor, completely dazzled by its grandeur. Although her appearance now matched that grandeur, seeing as she was wearing a splendid evening dress and her hair was slightly curled, she didn't feel all too comfortable and was already regretting to have accepted Sachiko's invitation. All of a sudden, a man popped up from behind one of the doors. He bowed deeply and asked her for her name, so he could announce which visitor had arrived.

"F-Fukuzawa Yumi," Yumi stammered, a bit taken aback by the man's polite speech.

He bowed again and asked her to wait for one minute so he could inform Miss Ogasawara about the new arrival so she could welcome the new visitor herself.

Before Yumi could even think about how to react, the man had already disappeared through the gigantic doorway next to the staircase. So she simply stood there, in the grand entrance hall, still overwhelmed by the magnificence of the place she was standing now, and wondering how on earth it could had come to this.

_-A couple of days ago-_

Yumi had not really expected for Sachiko to come into action so soon, but here she was, together with that person, sitting in the school's library only a day after their previous conversation.

"This is the founder of the school, Hirogawa Tanako-sama." Sachiko pointed at a lovely lady, dressed as a nun. The picture was in black and white, of course, and was in a remarkably good state despite its age. "From the very beginning, it had been her intention to form a school for maidens. Girls could enjoy the best education here, and they would also be trained to become ladies. At first, it were the teachers who occupied themselves with that task, but after a few years already the upperclassmen took over that task with the introduction of the soeur-system. It was a task the upperclassmen took grave importance in."

It was after school. They were looking at articles from the school's archive, articles about Lillian Jogakuen and its long history. Yumi stared at the picture; all the women on it were nuns. She sat back on her chair and sighed softly; this was so boring! She honestly didn't care much about this school, having only attended it for four weeks now, and on top of that against her own will, but Sachiko didn't really seem to notice it.

Yumi rubbed her eyes, fighting the sleep that was threatening to take over her. It was clearly Sachiko's intention to make her realize and respect the history of the academy and the old traditions it had, but if she couldn't care less about the school itself, she couldn't possibly care about its traditions. It was kind of cool that the school was so old, but they weren't living a hundred years ago anymore; this was the 21th century, for Christ' sake!

Yumi couldn't stop the yawn escaping her lips. Sachiko immediately stopped her story about all the famous alumni this school had bring forth, and turned her gaze on Yumi.

"Is it that you haven't gotten enough sleep this night, or is it simply that I bore you?" she asked.

"Eh... A bit of both?" Yumi grinned, but her grin faded away quickly when she saw the arctic look Sachiko was giving her.

Yumi threw her arms up in the air. "_Sorry_! But if you're trying to persuade me by giving me this lecture, it won't work! I've only attended this school for a month now, and I've only heard about it for five weeks or something. I don't feel a connection to this school, so you can't blame me if I don't really care about its history!"

Sachiko didn't react immediately, but she sat up a bit more straight in her chair than she already was, and folded her hands neatly in front on her on the table. Then she spoke again, seemingly picking out her words carefully. "What is it then that you wish for me to do? You said so yourself that we could each choose the method ourselves."

"Yeah, of course, and I'm not stopping you here," Yumi replied. "I'm just saying that what you're doing now has little chance of success. Wait, how long have you actually been attending this school now?"

"I have been attending Lillian Jogakuen since kindergarten. Why do you ask?" Sachiko said, puzzled by the abrupt question.

"Oh, yeah, well, it makes much more sense that you'd care so much for a school if you've been attending it for so long. Although Yoshino-san has been attending this school from the beginning of kindergarten too and she doesn't really seem to care about how I behave. You know, totally not like you." Yumi had added that last part casually, to see what Sachiko's reaction would be, not being able to stop herself from provoking the girl a little bit.

"Please refrain yourself from saying such things. They are not healthy for upholding the compromise we've established," Sachiko replied grimly, taking the bait. Yumi chuckled. "But yes, it is true that Yoshino-chan has also attended Lillian from the very start," she continued, "and I am positive she cares for this school too. Yet every person is different, and if she decides nothing needs to be done about your behaviour, then that is her choice."

"Yeah, that's true. But why do _you_ care so much for this school, actually? Okay, you've been attending it from kindergarten, but still?" Or maybe it was also part of Sachiko's weird personality, Yumi thought in slight amusement.

"There are various reason for that. You've named one. Another is that this is an excellent school. So I wish to preserve its image."

Yumi expected more to come, but Sachiko was apparently done talking, so she stood up from her chair. "Hmm, yeah, don't need to go deeper into the 'I want to maintain Lillian Jogakuen's serene maiden-like aura', you've made that clear to me yesterday." She was acting somewhat rude, perhaps, but Yumi was tired of hearing Sachiko tell her that over and over again. "So, are we done here? I'd like to get home now."

"You might as well," said Sachiko wearily, closing the map that had contained the articles. "If this doesn't even interest you enough to keep you from yawning..."

Yumi grinned and got up. "Okay then, bye." She was already at the door, when Sachiko called her out to wait.

"Do you have any plans this Saturday evening?" she asked when she had caught up with her.

"Uh... Depends... Why?" Yumi couldn't help but feel suspicious about being asked that question by Sachiko.

"How do you mean, depends? Is that a yes or a no?"

"Eh... No, I don't have any real plans, why?"

"Would you like to come to my house this Saturday evening? We are having a reception there that evening, and I'd like you to come."

Yumi started laughing, but her laughter quickly died when she saw the look Sachiko was giving her. Yumi's expression changed to one of disbelief, and she stared at the older girl with her mouth hanging wide open. "Wait, are you serious here? Why the heck would you want me to come?" Maybe Sachiko had lost her mind, sitting in this dusty old library.

"You seem to like to question my sincerity," Sachiko said, shaking her head slightly. "Why would I bother asking you a question if I'm not serious? In any case, of course I am serious, and to answer your other question, I'd like you to come so you can see for yourself how useful it is to be able to behave ladylike."

"Wow, hold up here. Stop!" Yumi extended her arm, palm faced forward. She took a deep breath, ignoring Sachiko's hiss-like reaction. "So that reception is going to be, you know, a classy thing attended by only _ojisan's_ and _ojou-san's_ ?"

"If you mean that it will be a 'fancy party', to quote the term you've used yesterday, then the answer is yes."

"Oh. Oh! I don't really want to go to something like that."

"But I would really appreciate it if you could find the time and will to come; I believe it will be essential for you to have a better understanding of me and my intentions."

Yumi sighed, inwardly cursing the compromise she herself had proposed. She was many things, and she also was many things not, like someone who'd go to a fancy party, but she was also not someone who would refuse something that was essentially a part of a compromise. It sucked, but she wouldn't back down.

"Fine," Yumi said in a voice as dull as possible. "If you can somehow find me a dress fit for an occasion like that – because I obviously don't own that – and if you can somehow get me at your place for the party and back home – because my parents will be gone for the weekend and a taxi is too expensive for me – then I will come, but only because it's part of this compromise!"

"Excellent," Sachiko replied immediately. "We do have some dresses at home which are suited, and you can choose one of them to wear—and I shall arrange someone to pick you up and bring you back home that evening."

"Oh." Yumi quickly recovered from the shock of hearing Sachiko comply so easily, and shrugged. "Okay, if you can take care of all those things, then I guess I have no choice but to come. So, how are we going to do this? It's already this Saturday."

"I'm afraid it's impossible to have you pick out the dress at my house, as the preparations are already in full activity now and my father rather not have any strangers paying a visit. Is it perhaps possible for me to come to your house? I shall bring the dresses and you can pick out the one you'd like to wear."

Yumi shrugged again. "Yeah, I guess it's no problem. How about coming over tomorrow evening?"

And so was it that when the door bell rang the following day and Yumi opened the front door, she saw Sachiko standing in her doorway, holding several plastic-covered dresses in her arms. Yumi lead the way to her room, not wanting her brother to see what she'd be wearing, and closed the door behind Sachiko. She was thankful that her parents were out.

Sachiko carefully uncovered the dresses and laid them on the bed, and when Yumi saw them, her eyes widened and her mouth fell open. They were splendid dresses, indeed.

"So you happen to have a few of such fabulous dresses at your home as spare, huh," Yumi said sarcastically.

"Of course not," Sachiko replied, ignoring the sarcasm, or maybe she simply didn't notice it. "I have worn each and every dress you see here before you when I was younger, around the age of fifteen. They do not fit me anymore, but I haven't thrown them away either."

Yumi decided against thanking Sachiko for emphasizing the difference in height between them. Instead she reached for the first dress, a red spaghetti-strap dress with a semi-high split, and touched the fabric. It felt expensive and _was_ without a doubt expensive.

"So I can pick any dress to wear?" Yumi involuntarily felt gleeful that she could pick and wear a gorgeous dress; after all, even though she sometimes didn't act like one, she _was_ a girl, and like any other girl she liked to dress up from time to time, and feel like a princess. Although she would never admit that to Sachiko, of course.

"Of course. If I may suggest," Sachiko reached for a beautiful black dress with a fairly low cut at the back, but not as low that it became indecent, "I think this will suit you very well. It's merely a suggestion, though; you may pick out any dress you want."

"Can I try them on now? To see?" Yumi asked, her eyes fixed on the clothes before her. She had to admit to herself, this was too awesome!

"Of course. I will wait outside while you change." Sachiko left the room and closed the door behind her with a soft click.

"Oh. Okay then," Yumi said to the empty room. She wouldn't have particularly minded if Sachiko had stayed in the room while she changed; after all, they were both girls, but the girl had already disappeared before she could react. Not that it really mattered.

Yumi smirked, kept herself from crying out a victorious roar, and quickly yet carefully put on the first dress, the red spaghetti-strap dress. Then she would admire herself in the mirror, pretending she was a famous diva, and she would act like one too, giggling softly and giving hand-blown kisses to imaginary fans. Only after she had done those things, would she call in Sachiko and together they would see how the dress looked on her. Yumi did so for every dress the put on, so it wasn't a big surprise that a lot of time had already passed until she had finally chosen a dress. She had decided on the black one Sachiko had picked out, because that dress had indeed suited her the best. Whether it had been pure luck or a keen eye, Yumi did not know, but Sachiko had somehow been able to tell from the very start.

"I shall order the driver of the limousine to pick you up as well," said Sachiko when she was standing in the doorway again, ready to go home. "You might arrive a bit later than most of the guests, because the limousine is used for picking up other guests as well."

Yumi hadn't really listened to Sachiko, because as soon as she heard the words 'limousine' and 'pick you up', her mind had wandered to her diva-fantasy again. "Limousine? That's way too awesome!"

"Ah, yes. I'm happy to hear you act somewhat more enthusiastically than yesterday," Sachiko said, smiling faintly. "Good night, and see you tomorrow at school. Gokigenyou, Yumi."

So she was 'Yumi' now, huh. Oh well. "Good night, Sachiko-san."

_-The present-_

"Yumi. Welcome!"

Yumi awoke from her musings and saw Sachiko walking towards her, her arms stretched out as if she was greeting a long lost friend. The first thing Yumi noticed was how beautiful Sachiko looked. It was simply a fact. Her long, raven hair was the same as always, and so was her light skin, but it was what she was wearing that made her hair somehow look darker than ebony and her skin seem porcelain-like. The colour of the evening dress was something close to midnight blue, although slightly less dark, and it enhanced the sharp contrast between the girl's black hair and white skin, and made her blue eyes seem brighter and less cold. The dress itself was simple but that did not hinder, on the contrary; it was a perfect fit, showing Sachiko's gorgeous figure yet without being vulgar, elegant yet unexplainably daring. A thin necklace was adorning Sachiko's neck, and a matching bracelet did the same for her left wrist.

Yumi was stunned, and for once she was gawping at Sachiko because of something positive.

"Welcome," Sachiko repeated when she was standing before Yumi. Even her gawping wasn't able to remove the small smile from the older girl's lips. "You look very pretty tonight. I know I've said it before, but I'm happy you decided to wear this dress, because it suits you very well."

"T-Thank you," Yumi stuttered. It was probably politeness that obliged Sachiko to say such words, she thought, because although she had never been this dressed up in her life, she still felt like a hobo in Sachiko's almost divine presence.

"You... You look very nice tonight as well. I'm almost forgetting that you're only one year older than me, you look so mature!" Yumi grinned feebly to hide her embarrassment; she was simply unable to tell Sachiko how absolutely beautiful she looked now.

"Thank you." Sachiko's smile got bigger. "Shall we go to the main room now?"

Yumi followed Sachiko and entered an enormous room, far more splendid than the entrance hall. This was the ball room, as Yumi heard Sachiko explain, and it was used for parties and such, otherwise not for much more. The entrance hall had had one impressive chandelier; this room had several. There were a lot of people already; the gentlemen were all wearing fancy tuxedos, the ladies were all competing for the title of person wearing the finest or most extravagant dress. Yumi took a quick glance at the girl standing next to her; Sachiko might not be wearing the finest or most extravagant dress, but it was without a doubt the one that fit the person wearing it the best.

"And this is supposed to be a reception?" Yumi asked incredulously. It wouldn't surprise her if she saw the emperor walking around here or something.

"It is a reception in honour of my father's newly-bought company, yet a party as well. They might have taken this a bit too far, but as long as my father is alright with it, it doesn't matter." Sachiko took a few steps into the room, motioning Yumi to follow her. "Come, Yumi, let us introduce you to some people."

Yumi followed, feeling totally out of place, and was brought before a small group of chatting ladies—they were all more or less her age, Yumi noticed. The three girls bowed their head and introduced themselves as Kyogoku Kieko, Saionji Yukari and Ayanokoji Kikuyo. Yumi introduced herself and noticed, and could not help it, that she immediately started to act more 'lady-like' in the presence of all these high-classed people. Something that had been, without a doubt, Sachiko's aim.

"Yumi is also attending Lillian Jogakuen," Sachiko said. "This is her first year there, though, yet she is already in her second year of high school."

"Oh my." Kieko looked at Yumi with much interested. "Lillian Jogakuen is known for hardly accepting any students wanting to enter the school in any other year than the first year of every section. I do wonder how you managed to get accepted."

"That's something I've been wondering too," Yumi replied.

"Oh? Ahahahaha..."

Yumi involuntarily felt shivers running down her spine when she heard Kieko laugh, shivers that made her feel queasy, and looking at those girls smiling at her didn't help either. At that point, Sachiko was forced to enter a conversation with someone who had been standing behind them, and they walked to the other side of the room, leaving Yumi alone with the three girls.

"So, Yumi-sama," began Kikuyo, "how come you only entered Lillian Jogakuen in your second year? Why not attend the school immediately starting from the first year of high school?"

"Ah, there are various reasons for that, but I wouldn't want to bore you with the details," Yumi answered, surprised by how easily her speech turned more feminine and polite at this place. She hadn't even known she had it in her.

Yumi said nothing more, and grabbled a glass of champagne from a passing waiter. As if she would tell those girls the truth. She had not even told Yoshino or Shimako yet. Taking a sip from the golden liquid, she noticed the three girls were still looking at her with much interest. The stares made her feel more uneasy than she already was.

"You would not bore us with the details, on the contrary," said Kikuyo, a smile dancing on her lips. "Not only have they allowed you to enter Lillian in your second year, on top of that you've been invited here by Sachiko-onee-sama. You _must_ be quite an exceptional person."

"Oh, I really doubt that," Yumi replied. She did _not_ like these girls. They were giving out horrible vibes. "And I don't understand why someone needs to be an exceptional person to be invited here by Sachiko-san," she continued.

Yukari giggled. "Honestly, that does not surprise me," she said. The other two joined her in the giggles, and Yumi felt indescribable uncomfortable all of a sudden. Luckily – and she had never expected to ever feel this way – she saw Sachiko on her way to accompany her in the conversation again.

"I'm sorry, Yumi, that person is my old calligraphy teacher, and there was something he had to tell me," she said when she had joined them again. "What were you talking about?"

"We were talking about how Yumi-sama _must_ be an exceptional person," Kikuyo replied before Yumi could.

"Oh, is that so?" said Sachiko a bit distracted; someone was yet again demanding her attention. She gave Yumi an apologetic look and went along with an old couple, leaving her on her own again.

"But I do wonder why Sachiko-onee-sama invited you," Kieko said when Sachiko was out of earshot. "She did not introduce you as her petite soeur, now did she?"

"Is there perhaps a rule that says you can't invite someone over to your house who isn't your soeur?" Yumi asked calmly, contrary to how she was feeling.

"No, of course not. My apologies. It just seems a bit... unorthodox, though," Kieko went on, always wearing that awful smile. "But I suppose it does not seem that way to you, as you've only started attending Lillian Jogakuen."

"What about you? You are not even attending the school," Yumi said, but not with her usual bravura.

"You are absolutely correct. I'm so jealous; you get to go to the same school as Sachiko-onee-sama. How I _wish_ I could swap places with you, Yumi-sama." Kieko and the two other girls were now looking at her, all wearing those smiles, and Yumi felt that incredibly uneasy sensation again, creeping up from the very end of her big toe to the tip of her nose. She looked around, and saw that Sachiko was standing across the room, in deep conversation. This time, she would not make it in time to save her.

Yumi gulped down her champagne in one go, ignoring the girls' expression of disapproval. This was too much. In her young life, she had never felt like this, not even in her old school. She could not handle this, she could not stay here, this was not a place where she belonged. She bowed her head a little to the girls in front of her, excused herself and made her way to the other side of the room, where another exit was located, one that apparently lead to an enormous garden.

Yumi hesitantly stepped outside, and when no-one stopped her, she quickened her pace and trotted through the garden, as good as her high-heeled shoes would allow her, until she reached a bench behind a bush, near a small fountain which was lit in the dark night sky. She sat herself there, breathing slowly, trying to get her act together, wishing she had never come in the first place. However, she wasn't given a long time to be alone in the cool air, as she heard the sound of footsteps in grass after a couple of minutes. Then, Sachiko appeared behind the bush, looking worried.

"I thought I had seen you go into the garden," she explained, and sat herself next to Yumi on the bench.

"I think the guests will wonder where you have gone," Yumi remarked softly. She felt a bit awkward sitting on the bench, in the company of Sachiko.

"It will be fine."

They lapsed in silence. Yumi still felt a bit uneasy sitting next to Sachiko in this odd place, but it wasn't like the uneasiness she had felt inside, at the party. She didn't exactly know where this awkwardness came from; but it was probably still a side effect from the unpleasant encounter with those girls.

"Did something happen inside?" Sachiko asked, finally breaking the silence.

"Not... particularly," Yumi answered vaguely, wanting to avoid the matter. She had no idea how she would be able to explain to Sachiko, seeing as nothing unpleasant in particular had happened. It was simply the overall atmosphere that had been too much for her, and it was the atmosphere of Sachiko's life; how would she have to explain that?

"I'm sorry for introducing you to those girls first," said Sachiko out of the blue. Yumi turned her head and stared at her in confusion. "At first I thought it was the best thing to do, seeing as those girls are about our age, but I realized my mistake too late."

"What do you mean?" asked Yumi, yet it slowly began to dawn to her.

"I won't say anything bad about those girls, but I have noticed they immediately develop a certain attitude against certain people."

"Certain people, huh." Yumi realized they must had felt she was out of place right away, and thus one of those 'certain' people.

"Yes. I'm sorry." Sachiko turned her head to face Yumi, and the latter saw true regret shining in her eyes. "I don't know how they knew, because I thought you did remarkably well in there. You were behaving much more like a young lady."

Yumi couldn't stop the laugh escaping her lips. "Hah! Well, I suppose I wasn't able to just use my usual manners. You could say that the posh atmosphere made me act a bit more 'refined'. It was sort of forcing it out of me. Ah, I can't really explain it too well, but whatever, it doesn't matter."

Sachiko smiled, but her gaze quickly became serious again. "Please do not misunderstand—I do not approve those girls' attitude, and if I ever treated you to a similar attitude, I apologize for that."

Yumi's eyes widened in pleasant surprise, but she shook her head. "No, I never felt with you like I felt with those girls." She stopped, unsure how to explain further. "They gave me the sense like... like I was truly ignorant and inferior to them. You, well, with you I just had the feeling you wanted to boss me around. You said some insulting things to me, but that was never even close to as venomous like with those girls. When you spoke, it was more matter-of-factly, like you didn't realize that what you were saying could actually be hurtful. Hmm, I don't know whether that's a better thing, though."

Yumi was somehow grinning by now, and Sachiko copied that grin, and the two girls began giggling quietly together.

"I appreciate the honesty," said Sachiko after they had composed themselves. She was still wearing a smile.

"Anytime."

There was a short moment of silence before Yumi spoke again. "Can I please go home now? I know I haven't been here long, but I don't think I'm up to go to the party again. Besides, the purpose of inviting me here was to have me understand your world better, right? I think I've come to understand some things this evening, although I still need to think about it more."

Sachiko nodded and got to her feet. "Very well then. I shall order the driver to take you home."

They walked back to the mansion in silence, and Sachiko accompanied Yumi to the limousine. "Thank you very much for coming tonight, Yumi," she said when Yumi was already sitting in the car.

Yumi bowed her head. "Thank you for inviting me, Sachiko-sa...ma."

As she was sitting in the limousine, absent-mindedly watching the street lights pass by, Yumi wondered if she would be able to fall asleep that night.

* * *

**A/N:** The length of my chapters are a bit inconsistent, but I just write and write until I find a good place to stop. :-) It's nice to be able to write a longer chapter once in a while, though. I'm glad that I managed to finish this chapter before I leave on a holiday at the end of this week. I'll be back the 21th of this month, and if I don't manage to write and upload a chapter during the last week of August, then the next chapter won't be due to at least the 2nd week of September (as I have yet another thing planned the first week of that month!).

Thank you for reading, and thank you for reviewing! If you have any thoughts you'd like to share about the story or chapter, feel free to do so! :-)


	6. A different way of handling things

It'd be kinda cool if I actually owned MariMite, but I don't!

**Chapter VI. A different way of handling things**

Looking at the immense building, Yumi wondered why she was here again. She could not exactly remember how she had gotten here either; the only thing she knew for sure was that she was standing in front of Sachiko's 'house', dressed up neatly in a white casual dress—which was, in all honesty, absolutely not her style. So that got her wondering too.

Busy with pondering about all the mysteries, Yumi did not notice Sachiko approach her quietly. She jumped up in surprise when she heard a soft chuckle coming from almost right next to her ear.

"Really, Yumi, you've been standing in front of my house for ten minutes already. Won't you come in?"

"Huh? Oh, hello, Sachiko-san," said Yumi, looking at Sachiko, still feeling confused. "Yeah, I was standing here, but I didn't know what I had to do, ring your doorbell or walk away. I don't even know why I'm even here."

Sachiko raised an eyebrow. "Don't you remember? We were supposed to have tea together."

"Wha..?" Yumi managed to stop the snort threatening to leave her. "Why the heck would I want to come all the way here to have tea with you?"

"Yumi, stop acting so silly," Sachiko said, but her voice was surprisingly friendly and warm. Somehow that made Yumi feel suspicious. "You said you wanted to learn more of the ways of a lady. Yesterday we went shopping for a new garments together—I do love the new dress you're wearing now—and today we're supposed to have tea together."

Yumi first stared at her dress, then she noticed the cute shoes she wore—they were not as much as horrid, but still unpleasant—and then she switched her gaze to Sachiko, her look screaming a mental confusion she had never experienced before.

"Yumi, what's the matter?" Sachiko asked worriedly.

"What's the matter? _What's the matter_?" Yumi wildly looked around, feeling awful goose bumps all over her body. "I don't understand why I'm here, why I would want to learn more of _your_ ladylike ways! I mean, that _has_ been the issue, right? That you wanted that, but I didn't!"

"Oh, Yumi." Sachiko still sounded as warm and friendly as before, and it drove Yumi nearly mad. Wasn't that girl supposed to throw a fit now because of her 'unladylike' ways?

"All of those issues have vanished when we became soeurs," Sachiko continued. "How can you forget the lovely ceremony we had? It's only been a week. You said, then and there, that you wished to be a true Lillian student, to be my soeur, and then we vowed to never quarrel again."

"Oh HELL NO!"

Yumi was panting, as if she had run a couple of kilometres, and abruptly looked around, like a deer that's being chased by a hunter. She was lying in her bed, and her room was dark and quiet. Yumi took a deep breath, wiped the sweat off of her forehead and silently thanked the gods it had only been a dream. She sat herself upright, her back leaning against the wall, and tried to calm down. This was what thinking too much before falling asleep could do to you. She didn't think she would be able to handle it if Sachiko wanted to turn her into a lady in her dreams too.

After the driver of the limo had taken her home, Yumi had immediately put on her pyjamas and had gone to bed; yet sleep had not enveloped her within the following few hours, on the contrary; she had stayed awake for a very long time, thinking about the evening, re-thinking the events that had happened at the party, analyzing everything until the thoughts eventually tired her out so much she had fallen asleep.

And now she was awake once more, not up for falling asleep and ending up in a nightmare again. She kicked the sheets away and got out of bed. She wasn't up for staying there and let her thoughts wander around about the previous evening again, either. Instead, she sat herself behind her desk and pulled out a shabby-looking sketch book—the last present she had received from her deceased grandmother. She flipped through the sketch book until she reached the point where the blank pages began, and started to draw. Not anything grand, just sketches of images in her mind, but she felt her heartbeat slow down instantly as soon as her pencil touched the paper, and she continued drawing like an hour or so. She often did so when she was in some sort of emotional distress, and it allowed her to feel more calm and collect her thoughts more clearly.

After she had finished, Yumi looked at the result. She had drawn the facade of Sachiko's mansion, or at least the parts of it she could still recall from her memory. She felt completely calm now, and she had made a decision while she had been busy drawing. A strong sense of determination wafted over her, and a smile was formed on her lips. It was great to feel herself again.

The first thing Yumi did the following day, was to stand on the lookout for Sachiko. She had even woken up early to make sure she could get to school early, instead of making it barely on time like she usually did. That seemed rewarding, as Yumi didn't have to wait too long before she could distinguish a familiar figure amongst the other students getting off the bus.

"Good morning, Sachiko-san," she greeted as soon as the person was close enough to hear her.

"Gokigenyou, Yumi." Sachiko sounded slightly less stern as usual, at least that was what Yumi was thinking.

"Could I talk to you for a second?" Yumi asked. Sachiko looked a bit surprised, but nodded and followed Yumi to a deserted path where they could talk in private.

"You know, I've been thinking this weekend," Yumi immediately began as soon as they were alone, "that it's time you learned something about my world."

"Oh? Yes, that might be true," Sachiko replied calmly. "I assume Saturday's events have caused you to think that?"

"Of course!" Yumi eyed the other girl for a moment, sensing that _something _was different about her, but Sachiko wasn't acting any differently, so she couldn't exactly say_ what_ it was she thought was so different. Perhaps it was all just her imagination.

"I have had the 'pleasure' of experiencing your world," she continued, "so it is only fair you got to see where I come from."

"How do you mean exactly?" Sachiko said, a light frown visible on her face.

"You'll see what I mean in due time. The only thing I need to know now, is whether you're free this Wednesday after school?"

"I believe I have no plans made then," Sachiko answered. Her expression stood thoughtful. "Are you planning to take me somewhere?"

Yumi nodded. "Yeah. Let's meet up at the gate after school. See you then."

So on that Wednesday after school, the two girls found themselves on a bus on its way to Tokyo downtown. Yumi, even though school had finished, had refrained herself from loosening her sailor collar and pulling the shirt out of her skirt, but that was simply because she wasn't in the mood for a discussion with Sachiko. Instead, she had simply loosened her hair. Her mannerisms, however, were the same as always, and she was sitting next to Sachiko in a very unladylike fashion. Not that she was very aware of that, though.

"Please close your legs," she could hear Sachiko say to her after a while.

"Huh?" Yumi turned her head to see Sachiko staring at her legs, or at least, at the point where they were supposed to be, as they were covered by the long uniform skirt.

"I can see you're sitting with your legs open. Please close them, as the way you're sitting now is profoundly masculine, thus highly inappropriate for a girl."

Yumi rolled her eyes. This was so typical for Sachiko all right. "You're the only one who can see that. So basically, I'm not doing anything that tarnishes the _good name_ of the school because no-one can see the way I sit. So what's the big deal?"

Sachiko's eyes narrowed and her cheeks turned just a tad paler, if that was even possible, but she didn't reply. Instead she sighed softly, as a hiss, and turned her attention to the front of the bus. Yumi turned her head to look out of the window again, focusing on nothing else but the scenery outside.

"Care to explain now where you're taking me?" Sachiko said after a moment of silence. "You have made it clear that this would make me become more knowledgeable of your world, to use your own words, but it is hard for me to form an idea if I do not know where we are going to now."

"Ah yeah, I guess," Yumi replied without turning her head. "We are going to my old school."

After about an hour and after taking several different busses, they reached a white, tall building behind a fence in a fairly quiet street.

"So this is it. My old school," said Yumi casually, pointing at the building. It felt a bit weird to see her previous school again, although she hadn't left it that long ago.

"I see..."

There were some students hanging out in front of the building, but otherwise it was fairly deserted.

"Why have you brought me here, Yumi?" Sachiko asked, eyeing the students who were now looking at them.

"Because I want you to see the school I've attended for middle school and the first year of high school. It was this school that greatly shaped me to this person, the person you know," Yumi answered, looking at the goggling students as well. Well, they _were_ standing out pretty much in their Lillian uniforms. She recognized some of the faces vaguely, but she didn't really know any of them.

"I understand. But why? School has ended a while ago, not many people will be around here at this time." Sachiko took a few steps to the school gate and examined the grounds from behind the fence next to the gate.

"No, not yet," Yumi replied, following behind Sachiko. "But any moment now, these grounds will be swarming with students again." And indeed, after those words had barely left Yumi's mouth, the bell rang, and after a few minutes the front door of the school opened. A group of students, mostly boys, made their way outside towards the open school gate. Yumi noticed, much to her content, that most of the students' uniforms were pretty sloppy-looking, and certainly so according to Lillian standards.

"This," said Yumi, averting her eyes from the crowd and turning them to Sachiko, who was following the spectacle like she was a sculpture made of ice, "are all students who have been in detention. I have no idea whether detention is given at Lillian—I would actually really doubt it—but here at this school, it's a common thing. They'll put you in detention whenever you do something bad enough to be put there. It's mostly boys, as you can see." Yumi nodded her head towards the students passing them. "A lot of boys in this school just seem to be so irritatingly brain-dead."

"Hey, Fukuzawa-san!"

Yumi jumped up in surprise at hearing her name, and she was pretty sure she knew who the person calling out to her was, too. She turned around to look for the source of the voice, and so did Sachiko.

A tall, handsome boy with a pale complexion and pitch-black hair that reached to his shoulders detached itself from the stream of students passing the school gate. He could be seen as the male equivalent of Sachiko, Yumi all of a sudden realized in amusement. Only, the personalities differed greatly.

"Well what'dya know. Fukuzawa-san." The boy grinned in a way that was supposed to be cool, Yumi assumed, but failed miserably.

"Hey, Sasaki-san," Yumi said dully. She hadn't really considered that this person could have also been in detention, although meeting him here wasn't all that surprising to her.

"Whatcha doin' here? You're not attending this school anymore, now is it?"

"Duh, of course not. Can't I be here when I want to?" said Yumi impatiently. She was feeling annoyed by her old fellow student already. The boy, however, wasn't listening to her anymore, but he had turned his attention to Sachiko, moving closer until he was standing right in front of her.

"Whoa! And who might this hot babe be? Hey there, honey, my name is Sasaki Hikaru. Nice to meet you," he said in what was probably supposed to be a seductive voice. Yumi rolled her eyes and sighed loudly, while Sachiko made a face as if she was staring at something incredibly dirty.

"Back off, Sasaki-san." Yumi stared at Hikaru with her arms crossed in front of her chest, and burning eyes.

"What's the matter, Fukuzawa-san?" said Hikaru in a bored fashion. "I'm just trying to make acquaintance with this lovely girl here, so it's none of your business. So, what's your name, sweetheart?" he asked Sachiko.

Sachiko was standing before him absolutely rigid, still with that expression of disgust on her face. When she didn't answer, Hikaru reached an arm to touch a strand of her hair, but before he could do so Yumi had slapped his arm away. Then she pushed him away and came to stand between him and Sachiko.

"I said, back off!" she said now with more vigour. "Go play your stupid games somewhere else, maybe at a place where only losers like you would come?"

"Whoa, what the hell?" Hikaru seemed a bit angry now. "What the hell is your problem, Fukuzawa?"

"_You're_ my problem, if you haven't noticed yet," Yumi replied, starting to feel angry as well. "Stop being so annoying and just walk away."

"Me? Annoying? Hell, I'm not even doing anything wrong! What, are you jealous that I'm more interested in this girl than you?"

Yumi let out a barky laugh. "Jealous? In your dreams, maybe! I just want to save Sachiko-san the annoying experience of having to deal with you!"

"Oh, how damn noble of you!" Hikaru shouted sarcastically. "What are you, her _girlfriend_ or something? Get real! If she doesn't like my company, she can say so herself!"

"Well, she doesn't know yet how irritating you will turn out to be, so I'm trying to spare her that!" Yumi shouted back. Now she was really pissed.

"What are you going to do, huh? Punch me again?" It was Hikaru's turn to emit a barky laugh. "Hey, which reminds me! I heard this rumour that you got kicked out of the school because of that, is that true?"

Yumi froze, and she clenched her fists. Her eyes narrowed to tiny slits. "You really do want to be punched again, don't you?" she growled.

"So defensive all of a sudden, Fukuzawa! So it's true, huh. Glad I could be of some service to this school!" taunted Hikaru. Both him and Yumi seemed to have forgotten Sachiko's presence as they were staring at each other with as much repulsion as possible.

"Who knows. Or maybe I just felt like transferring schools to be far away from the likes of you," Yumi retorted, feeling how her fists itched to deliver some punches again.

"Yumi." Yumi felt how a hand was gently placed on her shoulder, and she turned her head in surprise. She had completely forgotten Sachiko had been standing behind her all this time. Her expression was gentle as well, and Yumi suddenly had to think about the Sachiko from her dream again. The expression turned cold, however, when the girl turned her attention to Hikaru.

"If the way you previously acted towards me is the way you usually address a girl, then I won't have a hard time believing you shall end up alone when you're older," she coolly said. "The way you speak and act, why, it is not even worth for me to react on properly!"

Both Yumi and Hikaru stared at Sachiko with their mouth and eyes wide open; Yumi because she was shocked yet oddly amused by the way Sachiko was trying to handle the situation in her usual uptight manner, Hikaru because he was probably trying to decipher what on earth Sachiko had just said to him.

"Say what?" Hikaru managed after a while, breaking the silence that had followed upon Sachiko's intermezzo.

"What's the matter?" asked Sachiko, raising an eyebrow. "Do you not understand the simplest of Japanese? I do wonder how you were able to reach high school that way."

Yumi, still in a state of stupor, had to keep herself from bursting into laughter. So was this Sachiko's way of dealing with annoying pests?

"What the hell?" Hikaru awoke from his moment of confusion, and his face turned angry again. "Did you just insult me?" He clenched his fists and took a step forward, but Yumi was quick to react and took a step forward herself, halting him with her arm.

"Back off. This is the third time, Sasaki," said Yumi in a low voice, her eyes wearing a menacing glint. "Do you remember how last time went? Last time I was actually still pretty nice to you. Want to know what can happen if you persist now?"

Hikaru huffed and took a step backwards. "You were lucky at that time, catching me off guard. Trust me, this won't be a replay from last time!"

Yumi grinned mockingly, and with the hand of her stretched arm motioned Hikaru to bring it on. "Want to try out?"

"Yumi," she heard again, this time the voice sounding more urgent.

"Don't worry, Sachiko-san," said Yumi without turning her head. "I've got this right under controle-"

"No, Yumi," Sachiko interrupted. "A teacher is coming. Let him handle this."

It was now that Yumi noticed, out of the corner of her eye, that several students were standing in half a circle around her, Sachiko and Hikaru.

"Fukuzawa-san!" she could hear someone shout from the school grounds. Yet again, a familiar voice.

"Oh, hello there, Watanabe-sensei!" Yumi shouted back, seeing her former homeroom teacher running towards them.

"I'll let you handle this further," said Yumi cheerfully when he reached them.

"What's this?" he asked, looking from Yumi to Hikaru and back. "I've been told by several students that there's some trouble in front of the school gates. But why am I not at all surprised to see you're involved again, Sasaki-san? Although I am surprised to see _you_ here, Fukuzawa-san, picking out a fight at your old school!"

Yumi shrugged. "I'm not doing this on purpose, just for the record. Sasaki-san was acting all annoying again, sensei."

"What the heck? I didn't do anything wrong, you were just blowing things out of proportion, Fukuzawa!" Hikaru responded angrily. The teacher quickly came to stand between them, but then it was Sachiko who spoke up before Yumi could.

"Our deepest apologies," she said, her words intended for the teacher. "It was never our intention to come here and start a fuss—what happened now was a simple quarrel that has nevertheless regrettably grown out of proportion. Again, we apologize that our coming here has lead to this hassle."

"Yeah, I'm sorry I came here and had to see Sasaki again," Yumi added, not able to keep her mouth. She really needed to practice on that.

"Enough, Fukuzawa-san," said the teacher sharply before Hikaru could react. "And who might you be?" he asked Sachiko. "And what has been your part in this?"

"This boy," she answered, pointing at Hikaru, and Yumi almost snorted when she realized the contempt in Sachiko's voice, though she was probably the only one noticing it, "was trying to have a conversation with me. Yet the way he spoke and acted did not please Yumi at all—nor was it pleasant to me, if I may add—so she took defence over me, perhaps a bit too vigorously, which Sasaki-san took offence in, yet she was only trying to help me. I hope you will not blame her that."

The teacher didn't react for a while, until he sighed loudly and slumped a bit. He shook his head. "Even when you don't attend this school anymore, Fukuzawa-san, you give me trouble. How am I supposed to deal with this?" he said, but here was no annoyance in his voice.

"Sorry," mumbled Yumi, feeling a bit ashamed that she had caused this hassle for her ex-teacher, who was someone she very much liked as a person. After all, he had been one of the very few who had understood that Yumi wasn't acting brutal all the time just for kicks.

"Well, I can't give you detention or anything, but _you_, Sasaki-san," the teacher said, turning his attention to Hikaru, "you seem to like to cause even more trouble this year than the last! How many warnings haven't you received already?"

"W-What?" Hikaru stuttered furiously. "This is not my fault, you know!"

"I wish to speak to you now, Sasaki-san, inside the school," the teacher continued calmly but firmly. Then he turned his attention back to Yumi. "You two girls can go now. Nothing bad has happened, so there's no reason to keep you here. It's not in my power anymore to punish you anyways. Okay, show's over, everybody go home!" he shouted to the crowd of students still following the spectacle.

Sachiko bowed her head to the teacher and Yumi muttered a silent 'thank you' before the two quickly walked away, several pairs of eyes still following them until they were completely out of sight.

The two girls didn't speak nor look at each other until they were sitting next to each other in the bus again. It was Yumi who broke their silence with giggling all of a sudden. Sachiko looked at her questioningly.

"You...you were actually pretty funny back there," Yumi managed to say in between her giggles. "The way you were dealing with Sasaki...it was so _you_!"

"What do you mean?" Sachiko's voice was trembling a bit, and Yumi noticed only now that the girl was in fact looking somewhat shaken up.

"You know, the way you talked to him was the way I imagined you would deal with stuff like that," she answered. "But hey, are you alright there, Sachiko-san?" she asked worriedly. After all, Sachiko had most likely never experienced a situation like that, while Yumi had practically learned to live with them.

"Yes. I...I am fine, simply feeling a bit...upset about what happened," she answered softly without looking at Yumi. Then she added, still without looking, "I was afraid that boy would turn violent on you...and hurt you."

Yumi didn't know how to react on that. She was so stunned by those words that she could not say anything nor do anything but look at Sachiko with her eyes wide in astonishment. Her eyes widened even more when Sachiko abruptly turned her gaze on her, her face standing ferocious.

"_What were you thinking_?" she said vehemently, her voice almost a shriek in Yumi's ears. "Were you honestly intending to go into a fight with that boy? Did you not realize that he could have easily hurt you?"

"Huh?" Yumi was totally taken aback by the abrupt change in Sachiko's mood, and had a hard time coming up with words. When she didn't say anything Sachiko continued, still with much force.

"You may be confident in your abilities, but he's still a boy, much taller and much stronger than you! You'll really get injured if you jump headstrong into situations like that!"

"W-Wait a minute!" Yumi whispered franticly, finally founding her voice back. Why on earth was Sachiko so angry with her? "Sasaki-san is really a weakling, there's no way he would've been able to hurt me in a way!"

"You silly girl," Sachiko responded immediately, surprising Yumi to the point that she wondered whether she had heard correctly. "How could you know that for sure? Ah, but that's not the point here! You should think before you act!" Sachiko abruptly stopped and shook her head in a tired fashion before looking Yumi in the eyes again.

"I'm sorry," she whispered softly. "I did not mean to lash out to you like this and call you a silly girl, I...I was just worried about you, that's all. In a way, I'm very grateful that you helped me there."

"... My pleasure. And apology accepted," Yumi said, feeling very calm of a sudden. "I don't really mind you calling me a silly girl. I actually like this side of you better. I think it makes you more human," she added with a weak smile.

"I'm not really up to jokes right now," Sachiko muttered wearily.

"I wasn't joking." Yumi smoothed her skirt, delaying what she wanted to tell Sachiko. The silence stretched on for a while, as Sachiko too seemed to be at loss for words.

Yumi finally cleared her throat, demanding Sachiko's attention. "Thank you," she said earnestly, "for explaining everything to Watanabe-sensei." She felt immensily grateful that Sachiko had not spoken of her part in the argument in a disapproving way to the teacher. "I was never really good in calmly explaining everything to teachers when it came to stuff like that. It would've saved me a couple of times of detention if I could."

Sachiko broke out in a smile, and Yumi thought she detected a strange glint in the girl's eyes. "Oh? Were you that much of a troublesome student then? Actually, that doesn't surprise me that much." Sachiko's voice didn't sound as strict as most of the time, but it was actually sounding pleasant somehow. Was that girl teasing her?

"Hey!" Yumi had given Sachiko a playful punch on the arm before she had realized it, but the Rose didn't seem to have minded. "Like I said, if I could just keep my head cool, I could've been saved a lot of detention! It was not like I always wanted to get into trouble," she mumbled, remembering all her times in detention. "That school is just full of idiots, as you have seen."

Sachiko giggled softly, which contradicted the stern expression she was trying to pull off, yet when she spoke again, her voice was as serious as it could be. "I do believe you, Yumi. How must I say... You don't seem the type who would seek such trouble simply for the sake of hurting someone. Though you've given me a hard time already, it's not quite the same."

It was weird to hear Sachiko speak of her like they had known each other for a long time already, Yumi thought. Yet she was glad the older girl didn't seem to think so badly of her, after all.

A smile appeared on Sachiko's face again. "Well, that boy was rather annoying, if I may say so myself. Who knows," she added with that same odd glint in her eyes Yumi had never seen before until today, "if it hadn't been for you, I might have even resorted to physical retaliation myself."

After staring at Sachiko for a few seconds, with Sachiko staring back at her, Yumi started to laugh. It was not one of her usual barky laughs, but it was a true laugh, laughter caused by something amusing in a happy situation. Heck, it wasn't even that funny, still she couldn't stop laughing. She wondered when the last time was that she had laughed that way.

"Ah, I can hardly imagine that," Yumi hiccupped in between her laughter.

Sachiko chuckled, and the rest of the way home somehow passed in a pleasant atmosphere.

Only when she was at home, when she finally found herself in the quietness of her room again with time to collect her thoughts, did something begin to gnaw Yumi. And that night, sleep would only envelop her when it was almost time to wake up again.

* * *

**A/N:** Gokigenyou! What to say? Eh... Oh yeah, thank you for making it through another chapter! I had fun writing this one (because I got to make Yumi stand up for Sachiko and herself in an 'un-Yumi-like' way xD). Next chapter should normally be a more introspective one, and one from Sachiko's POV. The whole chapter or a part of it, don't exactly know yet how it'll turn out. Maybe I'll be able to update this month still, otherwise it'll have to be the next. ;)

Thoughts, opinions about the chapter/story are most welcome, as you probably already know by now. ;D I'm not really someone who reacts on every individual review, but know that they are always most appreciated!


	7. Sometimes you just feel like doing stuff

I don't own Maria-sama ga Miteru.

**Chapter VII. Sometimes you just feel like doing things**

"What do you mean?" Sachiko didn't look up from her work as she answered Rei's question.

"Oh come on, Sachiko," said Rei, her voice carrying a hint of amusement. "Yoshino saw you and Yumi-chan get on the bus together yesterday. So I'm asking you, _what_ is your relationship with her?"

"What relationship?" Sachiko said absent-mindedly, feeling exhausted. She had not enjoyed a good night's rest the previous night. Too busy with rummaging through a stack of papers in front of her, she failed to notice the look Rei was giving her.

"Sachiko!"

Sachiko finally looked up, seeing all of the Yamayurikai-members looking at her expectantly. Rei was even wearing a rather impish grin. Sachiko immediately knew what her friend was thinking.

"Well, it's certainly not what you're thinking," was her reaction, emphasizing her words by giving the Yellow Rose one of her famous icy glares.

"Well then, what is it?" Rei didn't seem fazed by the deadly look, nor did it seem her intention to give up on the subject.

"...We got on that bus together because she was taking me somewhere," Sachiko finally answered, her face telling the other Yamayurikai-members that with this answer the conversation had ended for her. Rei, however, seemed yet again reluctant on starting another subject for conversation.

"Oh, aren't you sparse with the details. Aren't you always saying that people should talk clearly to avoid any misunderstanding?"

"Yes of course, but that only applies when those people wish to talk about something out of their own free will!" Sachiko snapped. She was now emitting an aura that practically screamed that this was the last thing she wanted to say on the subject. She was _not_ in the mood for this.

Rei gave her a surprised look before shrugging. "Hai hai, I won't try to coax you again on telling us more. It's obvious you don't want to speak about it."

"Thank you."

Sachiko knew she was acting pretty off, but she had her reasons for that. It was true; she didn't want to speak about what her relationship was with Yumi. If they even had a relationship.

In a way, it terrified her to know, to admit to herself, that she actually cared deeply for that stubborn, strong-willed girl. There was no other explanation for the mysteries that had occupied her mind since that fateful Saturday. Why she worried so much about Yumi. Why she felt so upset to think of her unhappy. Why she wished to learn more of that unruly girl. Why she couldn't stop thinking about Yumi in the first place. Those thoughts had been haunting her for days now, and the events of yesterday had given her mind that little push it needed to come to that one conclusion. That she truly cared about Yumi.

At first, she had only possessed a fondness for the girl. Well, maybe fondness wasn't the correct word; it was more similar to liking someone against your better judgement. In any case, that feeling had started to develop within her since they had established the agreement. Yumi's idea had actually been a great one, fair and mature, and it had surprised her, but in a good way. Furthermore, it hadn't been the last of the pleasant surprises Yumi had given her. For example, it had pleased her to no end that the girl had accepted her invitation for the party. She had expected for Yumi to decline flat out, which she had indeed done at first, but after having explained calmly why she wanted her to attend the party, the girl had agreed, albeit not with much enthusiasm, but that was of minor importance. Yumi agreeing to something she clearly didn't want to go to had made her realize that the girl was someone who would follow through with whatever she had started, how unpleasant it might turn out to be. That had triggered a certain appreciation for the girl.

Then had come the day of the party, in which she had wanted to help Yumi through the evening. Yet again had she been pleasantly amazed by the girl, because she hadn't imagined Yumi looking so refined in that evening dress nor act so well-spoken in the presence of those girls. _Those girls_. Thinking about them still made her miffed. They had chased Yumi away from the party. Sachiko sighed as she remembered seeing that familiar figure run out of the house into the garden. She had felt so worried at that time. Good thing it had all ended well, but still...

And then you had yesterday. Sachiko unconsciously grabbed a pencil and held it in a death grip as she let yesterday's events go through her mind again. In truth, those events had filled her with terror. The way that boy had been looking at her with that hungry expression on his face. The way Yumi had boldly stood up for her. The way it had nearly come to blows because of that. All of that had truly petrified her, and the only reason she had been able to hide that at the time was because it had all happened so fast. It had been over before she knew it, before she had had the chance to realize she felt frightened. Only when they had been on their way back home, had she realized how worried she had been about Yumi. And only when she had been lying in bed that evening had she realized the fear she had experienced. How could she not have felt fearful, when she had never experienced something like that in her life? However, only a small part of that fear had been about her own well-being; the greater part of it had been reserved for Yumi. Reckless Yumi.

Realizing that, she had come to understand that the concern she had felt at the party and the concern she had felt that day were different from the concern she would feel for some random Lillian student. So that had made her realize she cared for Yumi in a way.

But her heart had gone further than that; it had told her that her worry about Yumi's well-being was even different than the worry she could feel for Yoshino or even Rei. Her mind, of course, had laughed if off and labelled it as rubbish, because how was it possible she would care more for that troublesome girl than for her friends? But her wilful heart had not given up and had bombarded her senses with a replay of the emotion of strong anxiety she had felt for Yumi on those two occasions. She had had no chance but to admit that her concern had been indeed on a different level.

She had been concerned about Yumi like they were soeurs.

From there on, she had come to see that she cared deeply for her.

And immediately after that, she had felt a bit nauseated because of all the realisations she had made.

Hence the fact that at this moment she was absolutely not up for talking about what her relationship was with Yumi. Because it was complicated for her. Because the two of them didn't exactly have a relationship other than a compromise between the both of them. Because she in fact _wanted_ to have a relationship with Yumi, not one in which she simply counselled the girl on how to behave as a lady, but more... maybe a soeur relationship?

Sachiko idly tapped her pencil on the table and sighed again. It was absurd to imagine that person as her soeur, seeing as they were not exactly compatible with each other. She had been brought up as a responsible lady in a refined world, Yumi liked to talk and act like a guy. They had quarrelled with each other from the very beginning. From a logical point of view, they were _not_ suited for each other. Then again, she had already admitted to herself that she cared for Yumi as a soeur, but it had been proven impossible to explain exactly why! She couldn't even tell herself whether she liked Yumi or not! Yet was it even possible to care deeply for someone without liking that person?

"Sachiko, are you okay?"

Sachiko abruptly woke from her reverie and saw all four of the other members of the student council looking at her. She had no idea how long she had been doing nothing but stare into nothingness.

"You were all spaced out and sighing a lot...and you were tapping your pencil really fast," said Rei worriedly.

"Was I?" Sachiko looked at her right hand and was surprised to see it indeed holding a pencil. "Ah... My apologies, I think I must have been daydreaming a little. Nothing to worry about." She shook her head slightly to shake off the fatigue.

Rei didn't look like she believed her completely, but headed towards the door anyway. "Shall we get going then? We need to head to class now."

Sachiko nodded and followed the other girls outside.

Rei and Yoshino were talking animatedly with each other, and so were Shimako and Noriko. Sachiko looked at them and wondered whether it was necessary to find a Rosa Chinensis en bouton to lift some of the work of the other bouton's. She immediately thought about Yumi. Sachiko contemplated; would Yumi have it in her to be a part of the school's student council? At first sight, that girl was of course not suited for the job at all, but Yumi had already proven she could surprise her.

As soon as the thought of asking Yumi to be her petite soeur for the sake of the Yamayurikai entered her mind, Sachiko dismissed it. She did _not_ want to make Yumi her petite soeur for that reason. Besides, the workload of the student council wasn't even a topic of discussion of the moment, so there was no need to find someone to fill in the spot for that reason, either. But for what reason could she make Yumi her petite soeur, then? Did she even want to make Yumi her soeur? Had all common sense left her if the answer was yes?

"...and then she made a face like 'waah!'! You should've seen her, Rei-chan..."

"...but Shimako-san, are you sure I won't be imposing on your family then?..."

Sachiko listened to the conversations of the couples ahead of her, not really processing what they were actually saying, but more pondering whether she'd have someone to talk to like that one day. The crazy idea of offering Yumi her rosary became unbearably realistic all of a sudden, but with that came the inevitable thought that it was very likely she'd get rejected. For all the logical reasons she herself knew too. It actually stung a bit to know that.

And then she heard it. Running footsteps behind her. There was only one person in this school who'd run here, so Sachiko immediately turned around to tell that person to make halt. However, when Yumi was close, the stopped running herself.

"I saw all of you guys walking to I assumed I was still on time," the girl explained out of breath when she had caught up, smashing Sachiko's hope of Yumi finally respecting the rules to pieces.

"You _do_ know we prefer not to run at this school." Sachiko tried to make her voice sound not too annoyed. She understood now why Yumi was so rough in her ways, seeing as she had attended a school where people like that Hikaru were roaming around, but it didn't mean the girl could at least try to gradually get used to the rules of this school, right?

"Yeah I know," Yumi replied casually, absolutely not impressed that she had broken that unspoken rule. Sachiko kept herself from starting another bickering but instead redirected her attention to the girl's uniform. The sailor collar was in such a crumpled state that something needed to be done.

"Yumi, stop." Without saying anything else, she handed her bag to the perplexed Yumi and positioned herself so she was standing in front of her. She then untied the girl's collar and retied it again. After fixing the collar so it looked completely tidy, she grabbed her bag from Yumi's hand and continued her walk, like nothing had happened.

"H-Hey, wait up!" she could hear Yumi scream from behind her. "What the heck was that just now?"

Sachiko was not so surprised to see Yumi with a face red from anger, and gave the girl an apologetic bow.

"I'm sorry for catching you off guard like that, I just felt like fixing your collar all of a sudden," she explained as Yumi kept staring at her in disbelief over her action.

"_You just felt like fixing my collar?_" Yumi repeated incredulously, still red of anger. Or at least, it was what Sachiko assumed to be the reason of that red hue on her face.

"Yes, because it was in such a messy state. But you seem highly offended by my action, so I promise I won't do it again," Sachiko said with another bow. She hoped it would be enough to avoid another discussion.

"Ugh... Whatever." Without saying another word, Yumi picked up her pace so she wouldn't be walking next to Sachiko anymore. Sachiko didn't go after her but instead watched her walk away, feeling somewhat puzzled. It was odd not to receive a more...animated...reply of Yumi. She had no time to ponder about that now, though, as she really needed to get to class. Picking up her pace just a little, she hurried after Yumi.

The rest of the week passed without anything special happening. Sachiko didn't encounter Yumi anymore, so the days had passed quite calmly. The following week, however, Yoshino had planned a little get together at her house for celebrating her birthday.

"Because," was her explanation, "you only turn seventeen once and it's the last time I get to celebrate it with Rei-chan and Sachiko-sama before they hop off to university. So you all have to come!"

They had all agreed to come, of course, but what Yoshino had left out when inviting them was mentioning that Yumi had also been invited. So Sachiko was surprised to see the girl sitting in the Shimazu living room when she arrived.

"Thank you for coming, Sachiko-sama," said Yoshino while taking her coat. Then she whispered, "I'm sorry for not telling you that I invited Yumi-san as well... I hope you don't mind her company?"

Sachiko shook her head. "Of course not. Besides, she's your friend and your guest. I have no right to mind anyone's company when it's your party."

Yoshino gratefully smiled and together they made their way to the living room, where the rest of the Yamayurikai plus Yumi were already present.

Sachiko sat herself on the ground on the only spot available, opposite of Yumi. She acknowledged her presence by smiling, and Yumi said a casual "Hey" in response. Things didn't seem awkward between them, much to Sachiko's relief; she had been wondering whether Yumi would treat her coldly again after that thing with the collar. Luckily that wasn't the case.

"Time for games!" Yoshino's enthusiastic cry returned Sachiko to the present and she watched how the future Yellow Rose began explaining the game.

Two hours and a victory for Yoshino later, Sachiko made her way to the kitchen to help Rei with the birthday cake.

"Yoshino-chan sure is lucky to have a cousin who is so skilled at baking," she said when she saw the delicious-looking cake on the kitchen table.

"Actually, Yoshino made this one herself," Rei smiled as she cut the cake in several pieces. "She insisted that she'd do it on her own, without my help. It has turned out great, hasn't it?"

"It has."

Rei looked at her petite soeur fondly and made her way to the living room again, holding a tray with three pieces of cake. Sachiko took the other tray and followed her friend.

Sachiko was amused to see Yumi acting as quite the entertainer. As they were eating their cakes, the girl held everyone's attention with absurd stories which she told in a carefree way Sachiko was involuntarily impressed of. Yoshino almost choked in her desert when Yumi told them about the encounter with Rei's fan-girls last week and then proceeded to make a fairly realistic impression of the braided girl defending Rei at all cost against those girls. Rei nearly doubled over with laughter. Shimako and Noriko were giggling as well.

"Hahaha, Yumi-chan, you've nailed it!"

"What! I don't act like that!" Yoshino huffed.

Yumi grinned and nudged her friend. "Sorry! I'm just joking... Although you have to admit it was pretty well done." She winked and nudged Yoshino again, on which the latter seemed to calm down a bit. Sachiko was surprised to witness how Yumi and Yoshino seemed to have become close friends on such a short amount of time already. Well, Yoshino had always had trouble making friends, first because she had always been sick, later because her fierce personality would surface from time to time, but Yumi probably knew how to handle her well.

The evening passed quickly and before Sachiko knew it she, Yumi, Shimako and Noriko were standing outside thanking Yoshino for the nice evening.

"I should thank you for coming over," she said happily. "Good night!"

They waved their goodbyes and walked to the deserted street.

"Noriko and I have to go this way," said Shimako, pointing to the left. "Noriko's aunt is going to pick us up at the corner of the street."

"My car is parked this way," Sachiko pointed to the right. "Have a nice evening."

"Bye," said Yumi.

The White Rose sisters bowed and soon disappeared in the dark, leaving Yumi and Sachiko alone basking in the light of the closest street lamp.

"How will you get home, Yumi?" inquired Sachiko.

Yumi pointed to the right. "That's the way to the station. I'll take the train home there."

"But that'll take so long and it's quite late already. I'll drive you home instead."

Yumi shook her head. "No, really, it won't take that long. You shouldn't bother yourself."

"Don't be so ridiculous, it's not a bother. Let me take you home," Sachiko insisted.

"Eh... Wait, how long do you have your driver's license already?"

"Are you questioning my driving skills?" Sachiko asked, but she saw the grin on Yumi's face and a small smile appeared on her own lips.

"Ah well," Yumi shrugged, "I guess you don't really seem the type who'd cause a traffic accident. If you really want to take me home, then I guess I'll have to take advantage of it, right?"

"That's right."

The two girls made their way to a flashy red sports car, and Yumi's mouth fell open.

"Wait... _That's_ your car?" Yumi uttered when she had her jaw reattached.

"It is. Does it not suit your taste?"

"Heck no, it _definitely_ suits my taste!" Yumi examined every inch of the vehicle and the more she goggled at it, the more she seemed to approve. "How come you're driving such an awesome car? I thought you'd be more the 'fancy Mercedes' type of person!"

"Hmm?" said Sachiko, waking up from her daze. She had been staring at Yumi checking out her car.

"You know... Cause I thought a lady like you wouldn't drive a red sports car," Yumi explained, misinterpreting Sachiko's not so intelligent reaction.

"Oh. My parents gave me this car for my eighteenth birthday," Sachiko quickly said. To hide her embarrassment she got in the car and motioned Yumi to do the same.

Yumi grinned as she examined the interior of the car. "Awesome... Ok, now I'm _really_ glad you're taking me home." Sachiko also couldn't wipe the smile off her face.

"That's nice. Okay, fasten your seatbelt and then we can go."

Yumi nodded and so they set off. Sachiko made no effort to start a conversation. It was strangely relaxing to sit in this car with the company of Yumi and no other sound than the low humming of the vehicle's engine.

After a while Yumi cleared her throat.

"Yes?" said Sachiko.

"Eh... About the previous Wednesday..." Yumi began, and stopped.

"Yes?" Sachiko said again. She tore her eyes away from the road for a second to look at Yumi. The girl seemed unsure for some reason.

"So...You weren't, like, curious about Sasaki-san's words?"

Sachiko frowned. "What words are you referring to?"

"You know, about...me being kicked out of the school?"

"But," Sachiko had to search deep in her memory, "I thought he said it was a rumour? I don't pay much attention to rumours."

"Oh! ...I guess I gave it away myself, huh," Yumi muttered in embarrassment.

"So the rumour was true?" Sachiko wondered whether she wasn't prying too much with this question. After all, what right did she have to ask?

"Would that surprise you?" Yumi asked defensively.

"I don't know. I don't know you well enough to answer that," Sachiko answered mildly.

She could feel Yumi look at her, and out of the corner of her eye she saw the girl shrug.

"Yeah, okay. So it's true. I got kicked out of my previous school and was forced to attend Lillian because of that. Now you know why I'm so completely out of place there."

Sachiko, feeling surprised by the sudden revelation, shook her head. "It's only been six weeks. You'll learn in due time-"

"It's not only about manners, you know," Yumi cut in. "It's the general atmosphere. It doesn't suit me."

"Are you making an effort to let it suit you?" Sachiko asked. "Or do you simply pass your days with thinking that you'll never fit in, so you don't have to try to get accustomed to it?"

Yumi made a sound like a hissing cat. "Well... It's not about not being used to the atmosphere, because I am. And I have to admit that it's sort of nice to not have to deal with annoying pests all the time." She grinned. "But how to explain... It's just too _quiet_ in that school. The girls there are so calm! They don't behave like girls our age at all. And you are by far the worst." Sachiko didn't miss the hint of amusement in Yumi's voice.

"Oh am I now?" Sachiko said, but she didn't feel irritated. In fact, she was thorougly enjoying this conversation with Yumi. They were finally talking to each other, not arguing; plus, she felt like she was getting closer to the girl.

"Oh come on," Yumi laughed. "No eighteen-year-old girl would behave the way you do! But I'm not counting _those girls_ I met at your party, 'cause they're from the same super-elite world as you."

Sachiko didn't particularly like her world to be called elite, as she was of opinion that the word held a somewhat negative image behind it, like it meant that only the 'worthy' people were part of it, but she didn't say that out loud.

"Normal girls our age don't act so well-behaved like you want me to and they don't want to act like that either," Yumi continued vigorously. "Hmmm, maybe I should show you that..." she added as in an afterthought.

"So why don't you then?" Sachiko was surprised to hear her voice out that thought. A faint blush spread on her cheeks as she realized how odd it must have sounded. "I suppose that," she continued in spite of her embarrassment, "it could help me understand your motives for not accepting my counselling better."

"Hey... Maybe it would!" Yumi said enthusiastically, not aware of Sachiko's discomfort. "I could show you around in the mall or something... I bet you don't go there often!"

"I don't," Sachiko admitted. "They're too crowded."

"Okay, great, so it's a plan!" Yumi suddenly began laughing out loud. "But isn't it ironic that _you_, of all all people, gave me this idea? Aren't you supposed to convince me that I should want to learn how to behave like a lady?"

Sachiko couldn't help but smile. "I suppose. I don't know; I think I just felt like helping?" she said vaguely.

Yumi shook her head but Sachiko thought she heard a concealed giggle.

"You're weird, Sachiko-san."

* * *

**A/N:** Okay so I'll be out of the country again for the next couple of days, but I think I can manage to update next week, just not in a week. :D

On a different and completely random subject: don't you think K-ON!(!) rocks? I think it does and I SERIOUSLY recommend you to go watch it if you haven't already! It's hilarious and plain awesome! (Don't we all have a bit of a Mugi-vision?) Woops, I'll just stop this blatant advertising before someone hits me on the head with a paper fan...

Thoughts, comments, opinions...always welcome!


	8. Falling, but without a crash

Surprise surprise, I don't own Maria-sama ga miteru.

**Chapter VIII. Falling, but without a crash  
**

"Look to your left," Yumi whispered.

Sachiko turned her head. There were two girls talking with each other and acting very giggly. All of a sudden one of them said "No you didn't!" while the other nodded vehemently; both of them began laughing out loud.

Saturday, noon. Yumi and Sachiko were sitting on a bench in the mall, observing people left and right. It was Yumi's idea—with the unexpected help of Sachiko—to show the older girl what being a 'normal' teenager was all about. What better place was there for that purpose than the mall?

"Oh, quickly, look that way!"

A girl was running up the escalator and then straight to a café at the other side of their floor. They could see how she joined another girl who had been waiting there for some time already.

"Ok, you saw that? That _running_ girl?"

Sachiko nodded.

"Good. Now look over there..." Yumi pointed at a group of girls surrounded by guys one floor lower. The girls were clearly acting flirty and the boys reacted on those flirtations by acting all macho, talking loudly and obviously doing their best to coax the girls in whatever they wanted them to do.

Yumi kept her eye intently on Sachiko and yelled a loud "Hah!" when she saw the older girl raise an eyebrow to show her disapproval.

"Is something the matter?" Sachiko asked calmly when Yumi kept looking at her with a smug expression on her face.

"I saw you looking," said Yumi like that answered it all.

"You saw me looking, how?" Sachiko inquired.

"You know," Yumi leaned closer to Sachiko, "you _so_ do not think highly of those girls' behaviour." She pointed at the group of girls and boys again.

"What makes you say that?"

"Oh come on!" Yumi crossed her arms and tilted her head to look at the other girl with a smug expression again. "Your face said it all!"

"So you are a specialist in reading facial expressions now?" Sachiko raised an eyebrow again.

"Not really," Yumi replied casually and grabbed a handful of chips out of the bag which sat between her and Sachiko. "I just have a knack for reading yours, that's all." She stuffed the chips in her mouth one by one at a surprisingly high speed.

"...You should honestly stop saying whatever pleases you." Sachiko's expression was as strict as ever, yet it was slightly different now because her cheeks bore a very faint pink colour. Yumi smirked; was she getting Sachiko so annoyed that the girl had to cool her anger by pumping blood to her face?

"I'm not kidding!" Yumi said seriously, looking Sachiko straight in the eye. She was planning to exploit it to the max.

It had always been somewhat entertaining for Yumi to make a bit fun of Sachiko, because the girl's reactions were kind of amusing in their own way; plus, she had the feeling they had changed a bit from before. Sachiko still acted stiff and stern, but the atmosphere was different; Yumi sensed that Sachiko didn't mind as much as before anymore. Their interactions had gotten more pleasant somehow, and Yumi had come to realize that she had gotten a bit fond of the older girl. At first she had had difficulties accepting that because after all, it was _Sachiko_ they were talking about, so her realization had given her a few sleepless nights. After a couple of days, though, Yumi had simply accepted that Sachiko was really not so bad after all and that she in fact had started to like their interactions, and especially her 'teasing' of the older girl. You could almost say they were like really weird friends.

"If you raise your eyebrow like this," Yumi demonstrated, "you're disapproving of something. I've seen it plenty of times when you were looking at me. And if you raise your eyebrow this way," it was only slightly different than before, and Yumi didn't know if she could mimic it right, "you're being sceptical. Like just now. But if you do it multiple times like this," she suddenly added and wiggled her eyebrows, "it means you just said something that has a double meaning. Why, _Sachiko-ojou-sama,_ I'd never expected something like that from you!"

"What!" Sachiko whispered franticly in cold fury, and the colour drained from her face. "Such rubbish, especially that last part. When have I _ever_ wiggled my eyebrows like _that?_ Like I said, you should stop saying whatever pleases you!"

Yumi couldn't stop laughing, although she could see clearly that Sachiko looked like she wanted to murder her right on the spot. She also noticed how the two loud girls from before were looking at them now.

"Okay okay, sorry," Yumi gasped, recovering from her laughter. Sachiko was still shooting daggers at her. "That last thing was maybe not entirely true, but the others were, I swear." Yumi made the gesture like she was vowing it on the Bible.

Sachiko gave her one last lethal glare before coughing lightly. "In any case, that is of no importance," she said in a low voice. "About those girls," she nodded at the group of teenagers still standing one floor below them, "I'm simply of opinion that they don't need to behave that way to...have their goals reached. There are plenty of other ways to achieve the same result, I am convinced of that. I don't know if they're old enough to even behave that way, but fine..." she coughed softly again. "Who am I to judge them? They're old enough to know what's best for them."

It was Yumi's turn to have her eyebrow raised as she was looking at Sachiko. "You say, who am I to judge them? But," she leaned closer to the older girl again, looking at her in disbelief, "what you've been doing from the very beginning is judging me!"

"That is different," Sachiko answered calmly. "But first things first: I do not judge you simply for the sake of judging you. I simply wish to preserve the good name of our school, that is why I behave the way I do. You must know that by now."

Yumi sighed loudly. "Yeah I do. Okay, never mind that, then." She looked Sachiko squarely in the eye again. They were surprisingly clear. "But now you've seen how normal girls our age behave. Not really like the students at Lillian do, right?"

Sachiko nodded slowly. "But," she added when Yumi opened her mouth again, "it is Saturday today. Not a school day. I have no idea how those girls would behave when they are at school."

"Not too different, trust me," Yumi answered. "Perhaps they could be genuine angels, like you," she grinned again when Sachiko pursed her lips, "but you've seen what students are capable of at school. I mean, you must've noticed that it weren't only boys leaving detention at my school. Anyway, it's just to show that this is what normal girls do. They're loud, they run, they're amusing themselves, they're totally _not_ acting the way it's done at Lillian. There."

"Thank you, you have made your point," said Sachiko grimly. "But I hope you realize that I can-"

"Sacchan!"

Yumi looked around in surprise when Sachiko was immediately halted by that unfamiliar voice...calling out to her? Calling her _Sacchan_? Did that person have suicidal tendencies?

A good-looking man dressed stylishly approached them. He walked in a manner which showed he possessed natural confidence bordering to arrogance.

"Suguru-san." Sachiko's face seemed to soften a little as a small smile appeared on her lips, and Yumi felt an instant dislike for the guy. Who was he and what was his relationship with Sachiko, calling her by a nickname?

Sachiko got up to her feet. "Why, it is such a coincidence to meet you here."

"It is," the man said. "It is quite a rare sight to see you here at the mall. What occasion brings you here?"

"I'm here with... Yumi," Sachiko turned around and motioned the younger girl she had to come stand next to her. Yumi obeyed, still feeling reserved towards this dude and his intentions, although there wasn't exactly a reason to.

"Hey, I'm Fukuzawa Yumi," said Yumi when she was standing next to Sachiko.

"I'm Kashiwagi Suguru. Nice to meet you, Yumi-chan," greeted Kashiwagi. He smiled and turned to Sachiko. "Tsssk, _Sacchan_, you've gotten yourself this cute petite soeur and didn't even tell me about it? I feel left out."

"Oh, but I'm not her _cute petite soeur_, sorry to disappoint you," Yumi replied before Sachiko could. She gave Kashiwagi a stiff smile that was supposed to show her repulsion. "I'm just one of the many _maidens_ who attend Lillian Jogakuen."

"Suguru-san, as always you jump into conclusions," Sachiko sighed. "Yumi is not my petite soeur, although I'm here with her today. There is no other special occasion for my presence here."

"I was merely voicing out my thoughts, because I was wondering what you were doing here with this girl," Kashiwagi said. "After all, it is not your habit to go to a crowded place, and especially in the company of a charming young lady." He smiled at Yumi, who felt like punching him on the face for being so gross.

"I suppose so, but things can change, if circumstances allow them to," Sachiko replied. She then turned to Yumi, who was trying her very best not to glare Kashiwagi to death. "Yumi, Suguru-san is my cousin whom I've been friends with for quite a long time already. Sometimes it may seem he says something odd, but that is merely his way of speaking. There is no need to take offence in what he might say."

"Why should I?" said Yumi, who was still holding her gaze sharply on Kashiwagi. "If he decides to call me a charming young lady, why, who am I to take offence in that?" Yumi mimicked the ladylike speech she had used during Sachiko's party, with the only difference that the sarcasm in her voice was unmistaken now.

Kashiwagi started laughing. "Oh dear, she is quite a feisty girl, Sacchan! I do wonder how you've gotten here to this point where you go to the mall with her."

"I would say that I'd leave it up to your imagination, but knowing you, Suguru-san, I'm sure you would have it terribly wrong," Sachiko replied coolly. Yumi grinned. "But what brings you here? If I remember correctly, you're not someone who goes to malls very often either."

"Ah, yes..." Kashiwagi looked around. "I was sent to do a quick errant for tomorrow's party. I was looking for the right store, until I spotted someone who resembled my dear cousin Sacchan so much..." He gazed around again until he squinted his eyes and a smile appeared on his face. "Ah, found it. I shall leave you two girls now, as I'm sure at least Yumi-chan here doesn't appreciate my company..." Yumi was making no effort now in hiding her distaste for Kashiwagi, but it grew even more prominent when he laid a hand on Sachiko's shoulder.

"I will see you tomorrow at the party then, Sacchan," Kashiwagi said in his smooth voice. "I'm looking forward to seeing Sayako Oba-sama and Tooru Oji-sama as well." His vision then crossed Yumi's and he smirked when he saw her looking at him and Sachiko.

"I have an idea here," he said, never taking his hand off Sachiko's shoulder. "Why don't you bring Yumi-chan along tomorrow, Sacchan? I'm sure it will be a very interesting experience for all of us."

Sachiko immediately shook her head, looking a bit panicky at the same time. "No, I don't think that's a good idea—"

"Yeah sure, I'd like to come," Yumi interjected, making Sachiko leave her mouth open in mid-sentence. The latter stared at the younger girl in disbelief.

"…Are you absolutely sure you want to come, Yumi?" Sachiko managed to whisper. "It will be very similar to the previous party you've attended…"

Yumi nodded vigorously, feeling like Kashiwagi had provided her with a challenge she wouldn't back down from. She didn't know what the challenge exactly was, but what she did know for sure was that a certain recklessness had taken over her now, one she felt she had no other choice than to give in to. "Yeah, I'm sure. I mean, at least if you can arrange for the same terms as the previous time…" Yumi locked eyes with Sachiko, her brown eyes begging to let her borrow another dress.

After a brief moment of silence, Sachiko nodded slowly. She turned to Kashiwagi. "I shall come with Yumi tomorrow, if you and your family don't mind."

"Of course they won't. The more the merrier, right?" Kashiwagi smiled and gave Sachiko a reassuring squeeze in the shoulder before letting go. "Then I shall excuse myself now. See you tomorrow at eight, Sacchan, Yumi-chan." He flashed Yumi one last smile before bouncing off to the escalator heading for a floor lower.

"Weirdo," Yumi murmured to herself when Kashiwagi was out of sight. She suddenly felt a warm touch on her shoulder. Sachiko had put a hand there.

"Yumi," she started, "may I ask you why you wanted to come to this party so badly? After all, the previous experience wasn't very...pleasant, if I remember correctly."

Yumi shrugged, but she smiled gently when she saw the worried look on Sachiko's face. "Well, all I have to say is that this party isn't the other party, right? If those girls aren't coming, then I think I'll be fine."

"I don't think they will—"

"Then I'll be fine, don't worry about it."

"But why do you wish to go so badly? Last time I did not get the feeling you were so enthusiastic about coming. So why this change?"

Yumi cleared her throat. No way she'd tell Sachiko the truth. She didn't even know what the exact truth was herself. "Well, I had been thinking… Maybe the image I got from your world was the wrong one, you know? I mean, at least I know _you_ are not like those girls. For one, you're much pre…nicer than them." Yumi grinned weakly to hide her embarrassment. Like hell she'd tell Sachiko that she was so much more prettier than those girls—much prettier than anyone else she had met, for that matter. Too caught up with hiding her own embarrassment, Yumi failed to grasp that Sachiko was looking somewhat uneasy as well.

"So yeah, if I went to this party, I might get a different view on things," Yumi continued. "Then again, if this experience proves to be horrible as well, then I'm certain that your world is not meant for me. It's only logical, no?"

Sachiko stared at Yumi for a few seconds before giggling softly. "The roles seem to have reversed," she said in glee. "Now you seem to be the one who's helping me in my 'quest'."

Yumi also allowed herself to chuckle softly when she realized the truth behind those words. "Ah, you know… You help me, I help you. That's only fair, right?"

"Yes... Well then, shall we end today's events?" Sachiko said. "I have seen what you wanted to show me, and we have another event coming up tomorrow. Is it okay if I come to your house two hours prior to the party? I shall bring along the dresses you can choose from and then I will help you get ready. We can go to Suguru-san's house from where you live."

Yumi nodded. "Okay."

So when Yumi opened the front door of her house the following day it revealed Sachiko for the second time. The older girl was already made up and dressed up properly for the party, although a long black coat hid the dress she was wearing from view.

"Gokigenyou, Yumi," Sachiko said as she entered the house. As soon as Yumi closed the door behind her, Yumi's parents appeared in the doorway.

"So you must be the Ogasawara Sachiko-san who is taking our daughter to a party this evening," said Miki enthusiastically. "Welcome welcome!"

Sachiko bowed. "Thank you for having me over at your house."

"Oh, that is no problem at all." Miki waved her hand like she was trying to get rid of a mosquito. "Although, perhaps you could return the favour by telling us how Yumi behaves at school-"

"Ugh, this is taking it a bit too far," Yumi groaned, successfully interrupting her mother. "Come, Sachiko-san, I need your help to get ready for the party. Up to my room we go!"

"But your mother-"

"My mother could have you stuck here for the next couple of days if it were up to her," Yumi sighed as she grabbed Sachiko's hand to force her to come along. The hand was quite warm. "So I think it's best if we go to my room now-"

"Yumi," began Miki, "where are your manners-"

"Bye, Mom!"

Yumi managed to drag Sachiko with her and she quickly closed the door behind them as soon as they entered her room.

"Sorry for that," Yumi apologized. "It's just that, if you start talking to my mom, we wouldn't have enough time left to get ready for the party."

"Is that so," Sachiko replied. "It is still no way to act towards your mother, though," she added sternly.

Yumi grinned. "You still can't help it, can you. In any case, let me take your coat and then we can proceed to the dresses."

Sachiko shook her head. "I wish to keep my coat on for now, if you do not mind."

Yumi shrugged and pointed at the plastic-wrapped dresses Sachiko was holding. "I guess the dresses you've brought along are the same as previously?"

"Actually," Sachiko laid about six dresses on the bed, and carefully uncovered the last one, "I searched every wardrobe we have in our house. I managed to find this one as extra... I remembered that my mother bought this dress for me but that I never had the chance to wear it because by the time there was a proper occasion for wearing it, I had already outgrown it."

The dress in question was a blue one, the colour similar to the one Sachiko had worn at the previous party, but not entirely the same, being just a tad darker. The front of the dress was simple but the back seemed complicated with many straps. As always, elegance seemed to ooze out of the garment.

"Oh wow." Yumi stared at the piece of clothing. "It looks beautiful. What a shame you never got to wear this dress."

"But that regret would be wiped away instantly if you chose to wear this dress tonight," Sachiko said. She picked up the dress from the bed and handed it to Yumi. "Shall we look whether it fits you?"

"Sure." Yumi looked expectantly from Sachiko to the door and back, but the latter seemed to have no intention of leaving her room. Yumi fidgeted on the spot.

"Uh... Sachiko-san?"

"Yes?"

"Shouldn't you...ehm, I don't know...leave the room or something?"

Sachiko seemed unfazed by the request. "This dress is a bit complicated to put on," she simply said. "I think it's best if I helped you with it."

"Oh." Yumi felt extremely uncomfortable all of a sudden; she had to undress in front of Sachiko, while that girl was staring right at her with those incredibly blue eyes, eyes that seemed to pierce right through her very being now...

Yumi suddenly shook her head violently in order to get her act together. She then proceeded in taking deep breaths to calm her nerves down. There was absolutely no reason to get herself worked up for.

"...Okay then."

Yumi laid the dress on the bed, turned around and slowly undressed herself. Although she was of course wearing undergarments, she still felt incredibly naked standing there with her back to Sachiko.

"Uhm, so I suppose I need your help now?" she asked when there was no reaction from Sachiko.

"Yes! I mean, yes, I think so too." Yumi heard Sachiko approach her and take the dress of the bed.

"I think you have to hold the dress like this and put it on like that..."

With the help of Sachiko Yumi managed to put on the dress and have all of the straps at the back tied properly. Surprisingly, the garment was yet again a perfect fit.

"It suits you perfectly," said Sachiko enthusiastically. Yumi stared at herself in the mirror; the dress did suit her quite well, if she was allowed to say so herself.

"And these are the shoes that match the dress..."

Once Yumi was dressed up completely, Sachiko helped her with her hair. When that was taken care of too, Yumi stood in the middle of her room while Sachiko stared at her wearing the broadest smile ever on her lips.

"You look absolutely stunning now, Yumi," she said softly. "You will be the _belle_ of the ball."

Yumi snorted, which was a strange sight coming from a girl who was so dressed up now. "Yeah, right. When the party has you attending it, no way in hell I'd be the belle of the ball." Yumi felt herself turning red as soon as she realized what she had said. Sachiko, however, merely kept her broad smile.

"So... Let me go get my coat and then we're off," said Yumi quickly, still sensing how her face was flushed. Sachiko nodded, and soon after that the two girls found themselves at the back of the same limousine that had picked Yumi up the previous time.

"My parents have taken the other car and I do not think it's wise to drive myself if I'm wearing this dress," Sachiko explained.

The two girls didn't speak much during the ride, and at last the limousine stopped in front of a long wall that extended far to the left and the right. It was in Japanese style.

"Woah, you and your family sure know how to do business." Yumi gawped at the incredible domain in awe. "So what's the occasion for the party this time?"

"Another business deal," Sachiko answered. "Our families are involved in many companies and many business transactions, so it is normal for us to have at least a couple of these parties a year."

"And you never get tired of them?" Yumi couldn't imagine having to go to these kinds of parties over and over again.

"They are a necessity," Sachiko replied vaguely, but she was smiling. "Shall we?"

They stepped through the gate and Yumi immediately found herself in a large, Japanese-style garden. A long stone path, lit by many lanterns, connected the gate with a large house in the distance. The scent of spring was in full force at this place. The two girls leisurely walked the path and Yumi felt strangely calm at this serene place...that is, until she saw Kashiwagi waiting for them at the entrance of the house.

"Good evening and welcome!" He bowed and flashed both girls a smile.

"Good evening, Suguru-san," Sachiko greeted and she bowed her head slightly as well. Yumi simply raised her hand as a greeting.

"Your parents have arrived here already, Sacchan," Kashiwagi said. "But the party wouldn't be complete without you and your lovely accompanier, now would it?" He casually tucked a strand of hair behind his ear and stepped aside to let the two newly arrived guests enter. When Yumi passed him she made a face that was meant to say 'what's your problem, dude?'.

The house was less fabulous than the Ogasawara's, but nevertheless still grand, only differently. This was a Japanese style house, and Yumi felt slightly less intimidated at this place than when she had at the Ogasawara mansion.

"Let me take your coats," Kashiwagi offered. When Yumi handed over hers, she saw the corner of Kashiwagi's lips curl up.

"Don't you look absolutely stunning tonight, Yumi-chan," he said earnestly. Although he was basically complimenting her like Sachiko had done, Yumi had to fight the urge to roll her eyes now and tell Kashiwagi to keep his slimeball ways for himself. Instead she smiled at him, albeit with much effort, then turned around to see what dress Sachiko was actually wearing.

Her breath was taken away. For an instant, Yumi could not think coherently but only stare at the girl standing in front of her. Stare at her silk-like ebony hair. Stare at the spectacular black dress that emphasized how well-formed Sachiko's curves in fact were. Stare at those legs that seemed to go on forever. Stare at the gorgeous face that was now looking at hers questioningly.

Yumi had realized how beautiful Sachiko was at the previous party. It had been a simple fact that the girl had been by far the prettiest person in the room at that time. But now... There were no words to express how graceful, radiant, _captivating_ Yumi thought the girl looked now. Her breath had simply been taken away, and that confused Yumi, because Sachiko actually didn't look all that much different than the previous time; only the dress, shoes and matching jewellery were different. So why was she so affected by her beauty now?

"Is something the matter, Yumi?" Sachiko asked in worry when the younger girl said nothing and continued gaping at her like a person who had lost his speech all of a sudden.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but my guess is that Yumi-chan here thinks you look exquisite tonight, Sacchan," Kashiwagi said. "Which you, of course, do."

Yumi could see Kashiwagi look at her with much interest, and she could also see how a deep red blush appeared on Sachiko's cheeks and how the girl's face seemed to light up as she returned the stare; yet Yumi still had a hard time coming up with something to say. The two girls continued to gaze at each other for what seemed like forever to Yumi, and if she hadn't been in this state of captivation, she would have noticed how the pulse of her heart had quickened considerably.

"Well then, shall we go to the actual party now?" Kashiwagi exclaimed cheerfully, breaking the tension that had build up in the room. Yumi immediately broke free from her trance and Sachiko also seemed to awake from a spell.

"Yes," Sachiko said, maybe a bit louder than necessary. "Let us go now. Are you coming, Yumi?"

"Y-Yes." Yumi sounded like someone who hadn't spoken for a year.

As she followed behind Kashiwagi and Sachiko, Yumi could not help but wonder what on earth had just happened. She had never been fascinated by something so badly to the point where she could not think, speak nor act like a sane person. Had all of this fanciness smashed her brains to pulp or something?

Still basking in the aftermath of her trance, Yumi was only vaguely aware that they had entered a large room with many small groups of people present already, and that Kashiwagi led Sachiko and her to one of those small groups. She greeted all of the people like it was a mechanism, something that took no effort at all, and was introduced to them by Kashiwagi and then found herself engaged in a conversation with one of them like it was a normal thing. All of it passed Yumi by as if it was some sort of dream, as if it wouldn't matter whether she acted rude or polite but with the feeling that she might as well try her best to fit in, just to see where it would lead her to.

As Yumi was talking to a young man, a college student of some sort—she had already forgotten what the guy was studying—she noticed that Sachiko wasn't standing next to her anymore. And that, at last, broke her free from the hypnotic state she had suffered from since the start of the party.

Yumi excused herself, interrupting the young man's enthusiastic babbling, and went for the search. Old people, young people, handsome people, less handsome people, they were all present, but the girl could see no sign of Sachiko. She made halt near the entrance of the room and scanned the area. At last Yumi could see Sachiko at the far left of the room, but then she immediately noticed the girl was talking to Kashiwagi. He was talking animatedly and Sachiko was clearly enjoying the conversation, nodding vigorously and smiling every now and then. Then something happened which made Yumi hold her breath; Kashiwagi leaned closer to Sachiko and whispered something in her ear, at which the Red Rose smiled and seemed to blush a little.

Yumi could not grasp what she had just witnessed. Sachiko had told her they were just friends, but what she had just seen contradicted that; right now, weren't they acting like they were...lovers?

All of a sudden, Yumi felt the familiar need to leave the room she was standing in. It was not like the previous time, when she had felt incredibly out of place and uneasy because of someone's contempt; no, this time she felt like she couldn't breathe anymore, like everything around her was falling down and was trying to bring her to her downfall as well. Yumi took a few steps backwards until she felt she doorpost of the entrance against her back. She looked around wildly, but no-one seemed to give her any attention. Kashiwagi and Sachiko were still in deep conversation.

Still feeling like no air would reach her lungs, Yumi grabbed the doorpost and clenched it until her hand hurt. If she could not breathe properly here, there was only thing left for her to do. Keeping herself from stealing one last glance at the raven-haired girl, Yumi forced herself to turn around. After that, it was easy for her to run into the garden.

* * *

**A/N:** Yep... Kashiwagi and Sachiko are friends in this fic! ...Well, sort of. Just think of their relationship as the one near the end of the 4th season; they were pretty friendly with each other there, weren't they? :)

Muchos gracias for the reviews, really! Thoughts, opinions... happy to read 'em!


	9. When the heart refuses to see

**A/N:** A more serious chappy now with some developments. By the way, Kashiwagi may seem like an ass at first, but he's actually a nice guy. He just has a weird way of showing that. :)

And I don't own Maria-sama ga miteru!

**Chapter IX. When the heart refuses to see**

Yumi ran down the lantern-lit stone path, halfway down turned into a smaller path to the right, then turned into another smaller path without actually seeing where she was running to. Only when she had reached a small water basin underneath a tall maple tree did she stop to take some deep breaths. She leaned against the tree and wiped the few drops of sweat off of her forehead.

There was only one small lantern lighting the place she was standing now. Yumi looked around; several shorter maple trees and bushes were lining the small path. The moon was reflected in the water basin. Her heart was thumping loudly in her chest.

What was she doing here?

What was happening to her?

Why did she run into this garden like a madman possessed?

As her heartbeat slowly calmed down, senses came back to Yumi and she managed to recollect her thoughts more clearly, or at least as clearly as her confused mind allowed her to.

What…had all of this been just now? She had just seen Sachiko and Kashiwagi act like lovers… So what? What was the big deal about it? He was handsome, she was gorgeous, they were friends…it made sense, didn't it?

Yumi unconsciously clenched her fists. So if it made so much sense, then why did it affect her so much to the point where she couldn't breathe? To the point where she couldn't stand watching them close together? Why couldn't she feel nothing but disapproval towards their relationship?

Kashiwagi was good-looking and probably well-mannered, just like Sachiko was beautiful and gracious…but Kashiwagi was also a slimy git, and she didn't want Sachiko to be together with that slimy git. And although Sachiko could be so annoying herself sometimes with her strict and cool ways, the girl deserved better than that Kashiwagi-bloke. Deserved better… who then?

A cold wind suddenly blew through the garden. Yumi shivered as she was wearing nothing but a dress made of some thin fabric. The moon was fairly bright and the lantern had a pleasant yellow light, but Yumi had never felt so alone in the dark as now. She didn't know where these confusing thoughts came from nor why she was like this. Perhaps she sensed that far away in the deepest corner of her heart lay the truth, but right now she could not see it.

She could see nothing but Kashiwagi being familiar with Sachiko and the blush on Sachiko's face.

"Yumi?"

Yumi abruptly looked up and took a defensive stand, but she quickly dropped her fists when a familiar black-haired beauty approached her cautiously. Her body, however, was still tense and Yumi noticed she couldn't relax it.

"What are you doing here?"

Yumi could detect a hint of worry in Sachiko's eyes as the girl took a few steps closer until she was standing right before her.

"Ugh, nothing, just enjoying the cool breeze," Yumi answered quickly, maybe a bit too quickly. Her body tensed up even more when Sachiko put one of her warm hands on her arm.

"But you're shivering," Sachiko said, and the concern in her voice was unmistakable.

Yumi was indeed shivering, but she didn't know whether it was due to the cold anymore.

"Ah, well, yeah…" Yumi managed a shrug, partially to shake off Sachiko's hand from her arm. "What are you doing here, Sachiko-san? Shouldn't you head back to the party?"

"Suguru-san saw you leaving the room," Sachiko explained. "I was worried. I thought something might have happened again so I went outside as well. It took me a while to find you here, though."

"No—nothing happened, really. I just needed some fresh air, that's all." Yumi could sense that Sachiko didn't believe her at all, so she quickly changed the subject.

"So, uhm… I saw you talking to Kashiwagi-san." Of course she had to choose the subject she didn't want to talk about, but did want to know more about at the same time.

"Ah, yes…" For some reason a smile appeared on Sachiko's lips, and Yumi felt close to her downfall again.

"Are you guys, like…a couple or something?" Yumi asked bravely, but at the same time she held her breath in anticipation for the answer that was probably going to leave her devastated.

Sachiko watched her in surprise before she chuckled softly. "Suguru-san and I, a couple? What an absurd idea. Where on earth did you get that from?"

As soon as she heard Sachiko's reply, Yumi's heart lifted up like it had never before. "Y-You're not? But…I saw you guys talking and you looked very happy and, uhm, I think you were blushing…"

Sachiko looked puzzled for a moment before another blush, more profound this time, appeared on her pale cheeks. "Was I?"

"Well, I think so," Yumi replied when Sachiko said nothing more. Now she was the one who felt puzzled. "What were you guys talking about?"

"…Actually," Sachiko hesitated and tucked a strand of ebony hair behind her ear, "we were talking about you, Yumi."

Yumi kept silent as she tried to process what she had just heard. They had been talking about her all that time?

"Suguru-san has always been quite perceptive in his own way," Sachiko suddenly said and she turned her body slightly so her left side was directed at Yumi. "Combine that with the fact that we have known each other for years already, and then you get this result."

"What result?" asked Yumi when Sachiko didn't elaborate any further. The older girl was being extremely vague now.

"Yumi," began Sachiko, but she wavered again. Yumi saw the girl's right hand had formed a fist. Now she was the one who felt concern welling up in her.

"What do you think of…the school's soeur system?"

The least Yumi could say was that it was a question she had not expected at all. "The soeur-system..?" she echoed.

"Yes." Sachiko turned her body so she was facing Yumi again. "You've never really shared your opinion of it, although I think it's safe for me to say you didn't think much of it when we first introduced it to you. But now… Could you have possibly changed your views on it just a little bit?"

Yumi was not a stupid girl. How befuddled her mind was now, she could still sense that there was a deeper meaning behind Sachiko's words than the girl would tell her.

All of a sudden, she felt uneasy again.

"The soeur-system, for me… You're right, I've never thought much of it, and at this point I still think it's a weird custom. I can't imagine being soeurs with someone." It was the truth. How could she ever guide an underclassman or let herself be guided by an upperclassman? Doing something like that just didn't fit her.

"I see…" Sachiko's voice was surprisingly calm, but what Yumi had claimed the previous day had truth in it: for some reason she was able to read Sachiko's facial expressions now and right now she saw disappointment flashing in the older girl's eyes.

Yumi almost gasped when she realized what it had to mean, and felt confusion rise up in her again as a mixture of different feelings began to swirl around in her heart.

Although she could never be certain of it for one hundred percent, she was fairly convinced now that Sachiko would have asked her another, more serious question if the answer to her first one had been totally different. It was surprising to know and beyond her comprehension as well, and Yumi felt like laughing because Sachiko had had the crazy thought of making her, troublesome Yumi, her soeur; yet the very idea of Sachiko wanting her as a soeur also filled her with a warmth she could not explain.

But more importantly, if Sachiko _had_ asked her to be her soeur, and _if_ she accepted, which she knew she would never, but hypothetically…and they truly became soeurs…

…wouldn't it bring them much closer?

Was that what she wanted? To get closer to Sachiko? To the Sachiko who wanted her to act more ladylike and who had managed to tick her off plenty of times and whose manners were always so incredibly stiff but whose mannerisms she had come to appreciate and even grown fond of at the same time?

She wanted to get closer to _that_ Sachiko?

And how much closer was 'closer' actually?

The answer to all those questions, the truth that resided deep in her heart, it slowly fought its way to the surface now, but Yumi could not accept it. Not here, not now. She felt a little light-headed. It was too sudden.

A cold breeze ran across their bare skins again and Yumi saw how Sachiko shivered. She suddenly felt like wrapping her arms around the girl to warm her.

Was it really too sudden?

"Yumi?"

"Yes?"

"It's quite chilly. Shall we go inside?"

"Sure."

And just like that, the topic had ended.

The two girls went inside and mingled with the other guests again. Yumi, however, could not focus on the current situation and she was convinced that Sachiko could not either. The girl's disappointed look still stood fresh in her memory.

"Ah here you are, Sacchan and Yumi-chan." Kashiwagi suddenly appeared from behind another guest and he looked cheerful for some reason. Yumi was instantly transported back to her dislike for the guy, although it was less prominent than before. After all, Sachiko thought the idea of them as a couple was absurd…

"I was wondering what took you so long," he said.

"We were just having a little conversation outside," Sachiko answered. Yumi noticed how the smile disappeared from Kashiwagi's lips as he kept looking at his cousin. He had probably also realized that something was off with Sachiko. That thought roused Yumi's jealousy again—because she knew now that it was a form of jealousy that made her detest the guy. He seemed to know Sachiko so well.

Kashiwagi glanced at Yumi, and she stared back like she wanted to provoke him. Somehow she was convinced that it would make her feel better if she could channel all of her stress into one hard punch against his face. She would, of course, never punch him for no reason, although she was very tempted at the moment.

"Suguru-san, I think it's best if Yumi and I left the party now as we both have a new week of school coming up tomorrow," Sachiko said, breaking the cold stares between Kashiwagi and Yumi.

"What a shame," said Kashiwa after he abruptly switched his gaze to his cousin again. "But I understand." He then turned to Yumi again. "It was a delight having you here, Yumi-chan.," he said in a serious voice. Yumi smiled stiffly at him. She did not get this guy.

"Good night, Sacchan."

On their way to the Fukuzawa residence, Yumi and Sachiko didn't talk much. Yumi was asked some questions about her experiences at the party, and she answered them truthfully by saying that the party itself had been more enjoyable than the previous one, but otherwise the two girls kept silent.

Yumi felt drained and wished for the confusion, which wasn't really confusion, in her heart to stop; and she had an inkling that Sachiko, too, wasn't feeling one hundred percent right now. It pained her to realize that she was probably the cause of that.

_

* * *

_

"_So, Sacchan, how did you and Yumi-chan meet?"_

"_Yumi transferred to Lillian Jogakuen in her second year of high school. The Yamayurikai was entrusted the task of helping her accustom to her new school."_

"_Really? And that task involves taking her to the mall and to parties?"_

"_Of course not. Those serve a different purpose, although in the end it will benefit that task."_

"_Oh? Care to fill me in about that?"_

"_You would still persist even after I declined, wouldn't you Suguru-san."_

"_Of course."_

"_I adamantly wanted to help Yumi behave more ladylike so she wouldn't taint the image of Lillian Jogakuen as her manners could sometimes be a bit...inappropriate. She, on the other hand, wished for no such meddling from my part. In the end we established an agreement."_

"_Oh? What does that agreement say?"_

"_That we both try to make the other have an understanding of the motives behind our decisions in order to come up with a solution for our problem after a month. These last few weeks we have each tried to make the other understand our worlds and motives. When you saw us at the mall, Yumi was showing me how 'normal' teenagers our age behaved. Today she's here to see 'my' world and how useful it can be to be able to behave like a genuine lady."_

"_Really? It was something like that?"_

"_Yes."_

"_I would've never guessed it. Then the month must be almost over now."_

"_...Yes."_

"_You don't seem too happy about it, Sacchan."_

"_What makes you say that?"_

"_The look on your face just now. I'm guessing you've grown fond of Yumi-chan these past few weeks then, haven't you? You were looking like you were enjoying yourself at the mall."_

"_Was I?"_

"_Yes."_

"_I admit that I have come to care for Yumi…and that, yes, I have grown quite fond of her."_

"_She's a fiery girl, isn't she?"_

"_She is."_

"_She hasn't given you any troubles?"_

"_Oh, she has."_

"_And she doesn't want to behave like a lady?"_

"_She still has problems adjusting to the rules of the school, yes."_

"_And still you like her?"_

"_I do."_

"_Well, Yumi-chan is quite cute, isn't she."_

"_I… Yes."_

"_I think you actually want that girl to be your soeur, Sacchan."_

"…_I think so too, yes."_

"_Well then you should ask—uh-oh."_

"_What, uh-oh?"_

"_I just saw Yumi-chan run outside the room."_

"_She just ran—? Oh no."_

"_Why don't you go after her to see what it's all about."_

"_I will."_

"_Maybe you can use this to find out how Yumi-chan thinks about being your soeur as well."_

"…_If the opportunity presents itself, perhaps I will."_

_"Oh, one last thing. Sacchan?"_

_"Yes?"_

_"I think Yumi-chan likes you as well."_

_"...What makes you say that?"_

_"Oh, just a feeling I have."_

_"...Thank you, Suguru-san."  
_

So now she knew what Yumi's thoughts were on being soeurs. Well, not directly perhaps, but by asking what her opinion was on the soeur-system and hearing the girl's answer, Sachiko now knew that she could not possibly make Yumi her soeur.

Sachiko stared at the curtains of her four-poster bed. She was tired, it had been a long day, she was lying in her comfortable four-poster in her spacious room, but still sleep wouldn't envelop her. Everything that had happened that evening washed over her again.

She had managed to stay remarkably calm. That had been a huge effort from her part, because she had in fact felt as if an imaginary rosary had wrapped itself around her heart and had prevented it from beating again. She had known it would hurt if Yumi's response was negative, but what she hadn't known was that it would hurt this much.

The whole ride to the Fukuzawa residence Sachiko had felt like a wreck. It was frustrating and painful to finally have found someone she wanted to make her soeur, but that the desirable person in question didn't want to participate in the soeur-system.

Why actually?

But the answer to that question had been quite simple actually: Yumi was not a person who let herself be guided. Yumi was her own self. She knew and understood that now. She finally did.

Yet after they had dropped off Yumi at her house and were on their way to the Ogasawara mansion, something strange, a new emotion, had welled up in her. She had felt the determination to not give up on getting Yumi as her soeur. If she had given up on the possibility of them as soeurs already, then she wouldn't have been worthy of giving her rosary to the younger girl in the first place, nor anyone else for that matter.

Where had this determination come from?

Surprisingly, the answer to that question had also been quite simple: it had come from the fact that she, Ogasawara Sachiko, had come to like the rebellious Yumi very much and that she had grown accustomed to her company and didn't want to lose that company again. There was no need for drama; those were just simple facts.

It had never crossed her mind to question to what extend she didn't want to lose the girl's company again.

As Sachiko kept staring at the curtains of her bed and as sleep finally threatened to take over her, two thoughts still managed to enter her sleep-filled mind.

That Yumi had not declined her as a soeur but had simply refused to take part in the whole soeur-system.

And that maybe Kashiwagi's words about Yumi liking her might hold a truth in them.

* * *

**A/N:** There should be some fluff in the next chapter. Because we have finally come to the point where at least one of them realizes the feelings she is harbouring, although she's still denying it at this point (but perhaps not for long, muah!).

Some of you might have been waiting for it, but Satou Sei will make her appearance in this story at last, namely in the next chapter. And of course she will encounter Yumi. Hope you look forward to it. ;)

I don't know if the pace of the story seems slow (or maybe fast?) to you, but I just want to say as a reminder that Yumi and Sachiko need to somehow go from disliking each other to liking each other to some extend to _really_ liking each other to realizing that they really like each other, if you know what I mean. ;)

Thanks very much for reading and reviewing! Hmm, this story has actually already turned out to be way longer than I had first anticipated…

P.S. You might get some quicker updates now (maybe not as fast as this one, but you never know) because I've realized that once school starts again chances are big you'll have to wait weeks for another update so I'm trying my best to finish the story before that happens!

P.P.S. Perhaps you had been wondering (or not!), but the part where Kashiwagi leans in and makes Sachiko blush is when he says he thinks Sachiko wants Yumi to be her soeur. ZOMG!

P.P.P.S Review please~! ;)


	10. What being friends is all about

**A/N:** Miscalculation: there's no fluff yet, I still need some things to develop first. xD *gets beaten up*

Anyway, Maria-sama ga miteru is not owned by this author!

**Chapter X. What being friends is all about**

"Yoshino-san?"

"Hmmm?"

Yumi and Yoshino were eating their bento's in the Rose Mansion. A bright and sunny day it was, and nothing showed that something special might happen today.

"How is it that Sachiko-san doesn't have a soeur yet?"

Yoshino's hand holding an onigiri stopped its journey to the mouth midway.

"Huh?"

Yumi shrugged. "Cause I was wondering, you know. Sachiko-san is always so ecstatic about Lillian's rules and traditions and all that stuff, but she herself doesn't have a petite soeur yet. It just strikes me as weird, that's all."

"Well, my guess is that Sachiko-sama just hasn't found someone yet she wants to make her petite soeur," Yoshino said with confidence. "Although none of us know what exactly she's looking for in a soeur."

Yumi had absolutely no idea what Sachiko had seen in her as a soeur as well.

"Isn't she a bit picky then?" she asked.

Yoshino put down her onigiri. "Maybe… But picking out a soeur isn't really something you can do on a whim. Rei-chan and I know each other our entire lives already, and Shimako-san and Noriko-chan also had a long history together before they became soeurs in high school. Although I'm not saying there aren't people who choose their soeurs in a flash."

"Really? So there are people like that?"

The look on the braided girl's face darkened all of a sudden. "Like Rei-chan's onee-sama, the previous Rosa Foetida…"

Yumi stifled a laugh when she saw the expression on her friend's face. "What did she do then?"

"Eriko-sama chose Rei-chan because she looked different, therefore interesting," Yoshino said in a huff.

"Because she looked different?"

Yoshino nodded in annoyance. "Eriko-sama is like that. She picks out things that seem interesting so she won't get bored."

"What's that I hear about our dear Eriko?"

Yumi and Yoshino both turned their gaze towards the door in surprise. Yumi had not heard it open at all.

A woman, maybe a few years older than herself, was standing in the doorway. She slightly had the looks of an American and was wearing an impish grin. The woman took a few steps into the room.

"Sei-sama!" gasped Yoshino before she broke out in a happy smile.

"Hi there, Yoshino-chan!"

"What are you doing here?"

"I was actually looking for Shimako, but I don't see her here..?"

Yoshino shook her head. "I think she's eating somewhere alone with Noriko-chan now."

"Oh is that so?" The woman named Sei then turned her attention to Yumi, who had been looking at her all this time.

"And who might you be? I've never seen you before. Don't tell me," Sei gasped dramatically, "that you're in fact Sachiko's _petite soeur_?"

Yumi rolled her eyes in displeasure. "Why does everyone immediately think I'm Sachiko-san's petite soeur?" she groaned. "I'm not her soeur!"

"Hahahaha!" Sei apparently found her reply amusing for some reason. "Yoshino-chan, who is this girl? She's got spunk!"

"Why thank you," said Yumi in cheerful sarcasm, which made Sei look at her with even more interest.

"Ah, this is Fukuzawa Yumi, she's from my class and we're friends." Yoshino turned to Yumi. "Yumi-san, this woman is Satou Sei-sama, the previous Rosa Gigantea."

Yumi widened her eyes in surprise. "So, like in, Shimako-san's onee-sama?"

For some reason, it was hard for her to imagine angelic Shimako together with this woman. She felt as if Sei was giving out a different aura than all of the other Lillian-girls—an aura of mischief.

"Yep! The one and only." Sei grinned and made a peace-sign. But then her grin turned into a more devilish one. "But Fukuzawa Yumi-chan, your words do intrigue me," she said. "You said that everyone immediately thinks you're Sachiko's petite soeur. That means I was definitely not the first one, right?"

"No. What of it?" Yumi answered. She saw Yoshino giving her a look that said 'oh-my-gosh-you-have-to-tell-me-more-about-it-later!'.

"Oh, nothing really. Just sounds interesting, that's all." Sei's grin widened even more, but she headed back towards the door. "I don't have much time left so I'm going to look for Shimako now." She let out a loud sigh and dramatically let the back of her left hand rest on her forehead. "Ah, I wish Sachiko had been here!" After those words, she winked and waved at the two confused girls.

"Byebye, Yoshino-chan! And Yumi-chan, I'm sure we'll meet again." Sei gave Yumi one last wink and then shut the door behind her.

"She's an odd one, isn't she," Yumi remarked after she had convinced herself Sei couldn't hear her anymore.

"Well, she's Sei-sama," Yoshino replied with a shrug. "She's always been special in some way."

"Hmmm. I'd like to believe that, yes."

Yoshino giggled. Then she looked at Yumi in anticipation. "So so, what's this about Sei-sama not being the first one mistaking you for Sachiko-sama's petite soeur?"

"Oh, right. That." Yumi closed her bento box. She wasn't feeling very hungry anymore. "I don't know if you know Kashiwagi Suguru-san, Sachiko-san's cousin..?"

"Oh yeah, I've heard about him and seen him once. But," Yoshino eagerly leaned closer to Yumi, "you know him, Yumi-san?"

"I actually only met him previous weekend," Yumi answered. "Sachiko-san and I were at the mall Saturday and he was there too and mistook me as being Sachiko-san's petite soeur."

Yoshino's eyes grew large and she leaned even closer to Yumi. "Wait, you were at the mall with Sachiko-sama? What were you doing there with her?" Her face was beaming because of the prospect of some fresh gossip, and Yumi stared at her friend in amusement.

"We were there to look at people." Not a particular exciting answer.

"…There to look at people..?"

"Yep, looking. That's it."

Yoshino's expression went from eager to confused. "Uhm… Why were you looking at people?"

Yumi shrugged. She might as well tell Yoshino. It didn't particularly bother her if she knew. "It was part of a compromise Sachiko-san and I agreed on…"

So she told her friend about it and about everything else that had happened because of it. Naturally, her newly discovered 'confusing' feelings for Sachiko were not mentioned.

"Wow. You know," said Yoshino when Yumi was done speaking, "I saw you and Sachiko-sama get on that bus to your old school. We even asked Sachiko-sama about it, but she was reluctant to fill us in about it and was actually acting really grumpy that time."

"Oh?" Yumi's curiosity had been aroused. "When did you ask?"

"Hmmm... Ah yeah, Rei-chan asked the day after you went there." Yoshino closed her bento box as well. "Sachiko-sama was really acting weird back then," she continued as she stuffed the box in her bag. Yumi listened intently. "She was spaced out the entire time and she didn't even finish her work. That's nothing like her."

"Oh well, she must've still been worried or something. I mean, she really seems like the type of girl who could stay worried for days about something," Yumi said casually, but she actually felt a bit happy that Sachiko had apparently still been so affected the day after—even if she didn't know for sure that the girl had been so out of the blue because of what had happened the day prior.

"But it does surprise me to have heard all of this from you, Yumi-san," said Yoshino as they made their way outside the Rose Mansion. "At first I thought you were going to avoid Sachiko-sama as much as possible, but then I learn you've been doing all sorts of stuff with her for the last few weeks!"

"Yeah, cause it's part of that agreement," Yumi emphasized, her voice maybe a bit harsher than necessary.

"Uhm... Sure." Yoshino gave Yumi a weird look, but said nothing about the girl's behaviour. "So in any case, your agreement should be ending this week, right? Planning on giving in?"

"Hahaha, yeah right! You know me better than that!"

"So... What are you guys going to do then?" Yoshino looked a bit worried. "Sachiko-sama isn't very likely to give up either. I guess she's a bit like you on that area. She can be very hard-headed as well."

Yumi shrugged. "We'll have to see then, won't we. Worst case scenario would be that the situation becomes the same as before and that Sachiko-san keeps bugging me about behaving more like a lady."

Well, that wasn't exactly true. Worst case scenario would be if she and Sachiko would never have any contact again. She _really_ didn't want her interactions with Sachiko to stop, even if the girl would only bug her about stupid things like how she should walk slowly on campus...

On second thought, she didn't want to go back to the situation from before their compromise. It would probably lead to arguments again and she didn't want that. Yet she didn't want to give up on Sachiko's company as well.

What could she do?

"You're right," said Yoshino, waking Yumi from her musings. "You'll just have to work it out with Sachiko-sama. Anyhow, fill me in about the result, okay?"

Yumi nodded with a smile. "Okay. But if you see a _really_ pissed off-looking Sachiko-san walking around on campus, you know what's happened—"

"What's this with a really pissed-off Sachiko-san?"

Yumi let out a high-pitched squeak and quickly turned around. "Heck, you scared me to death there!"

"Oh have I now?" A grim-looking Sachiko was standing there and had apparently approached the two second-years from behind without anyone noticing. "So what was this thing about me looking 'pissed off'?"

"It was just a figure of speech, _relax_," said Yumi and she put a hand on Sachiko's shoulder, but she quickly removed it again when her self-consciousness kicked in all of a sudden. "Not that it really matters," she continued quickly, "because you already have such a cold and moody look when you walk around..."

"I do _not_ look moody," Sachiko hissed as her eyes narrowed to slits.

"Hahaha, I'm just kidding—"

Yumi's eyes widened as she felt a soft pat on her head. Had Sachiko just given the side of her head a playful tick?

"Haven't I told you before to stop saying whatever pleases you?" Sachiko shook her head slightly. "In any case, could I have a conversation with you after school? There is something I wish to discuss with you."

Hearing those simple words Yumi's heart started to pound a bit faster and a vague feeling of anticipation rushed through her body. "Uhm, yeah, I guess..."

Yoshino was still standing there and Yumi saw her looking at Sachiko and her with much interest.

"In any case," Yumi waved her arms aimlessly, "we need to get back to class now, so..."

"Yes. I will see you at the Rose Mansion after school?"

"Yeah. See you then."

* * *

What she had wanted to do was simply discuss with Yumi where they had to go from this point on, this point being that their compromise was ending in just a day and that neither of them seemed to want to give in to the other. Well, if truth was to be told, the desire of counselling Yumi had definitely become secondary now to her desire to keep spending time in the girl's company, but if they couldn't find some sort of solution then chances were that she would stop seeing her this frequently. After all, there would be no reason anymore for them to do things with each other.

That is what she wanted to do now. Talk calmly to Yumi in the hopes of relieving some of her stress.

What she _didn't_ want to do is to elevate that stress.

Still, it had come to that.

And all thanks to one person…

"Shimako is still not here? Ah, I was convinced I could find her at the Rose Mansion after school!"

Satou Sei had been standing in front of the Rose Mansion when Sachiko arrived there. And at this very moment, feeling already tense, she was not very much in the mood for the woman's company. After all, Sei had always enjoyed teasing her for the fact that she didn't seem to be able to find a suitable petite soeur—which was rather ironic, since it had took Sei a long time to find a petite soeur herself.

"There is no meeting today," said Sachiko stiffly. "I suppose that Shimako is now heading towards the school gates."

"Man, what a bummer." Sei sighed. "But Sachiko, I thought you'd give me a warmer welcome than this, since we haven't seen each other for such a long time already."

Sachiko's expression softened a little and she managed a smile. "Yes, I'm sorry Sei-sama. It is nice to see you again."

A grin appeared on Sei's lips. "Hehe, thanks. So what are you doing here if there's no meeting planned?"

"Actually, I'm meeting up with—"

"Oh, it's you again!"

Sachiko turned her head and saw Yumi pointing at Sei.

"Oh, it's Fukuzawa Yumi-chan!" A grin, bigger this time, appeared on Sei's face again.

"You've met already?" asked Sachiko, one eyebrow raised.

Sei nodded. "During lunch I was at the Rose Mansion as well. Yumi-chan was sitting there with Yoshino-chan. Aaah, I mistook her for being your petite soeur, Sachiko!"

"Yeah, she was kinda dramatic about it," said Yumi. "And then I learned that she was Shimako-san's onee-sama. Like, who would've guessed?"

"Hey, that's mean!" Sei exclaimed with fake hurt. "What makes you say that?"

"It's because you were acting so weird," Yumi retorted. "So sorry for not immediately thinking you were Shimako-san's soeur!"

"Ooooh, full of spirit again, I see?" Sei laughed loudly before turning to Sachiko. "This girl really got spunk, like I told Yoshino-chan already!"

"Yes she has," Sachiko replied calmly.

"So what are you doing here again?" Yumi asked Sei before Sachiko could say anything more. "I thought you were here before to look for Shimako-san?"

"I couldn't find her anymore during lunchtime," Sei answered cheerfully. "So I thought I'd search again when school was over."

"So, what, you thought you'd just drop by again? You live in the neighbourhood or something?"

"Not really, I attend Lillian University. It's right next to this school."

Yumi let out a barky laugh. "Wait, you're going to Lillian University? There's even an university? And you're going out of your own free will?"

"Of course! What's wrong with that?"

Yumi shrugged. "You know…"

"No, I don't," said Sei curiously. "But do enlighten me because I'm very interested in what you have to say."

"Oh, come on. This all-girls school with its ultra-serene atmosphere and funny traditions. I don't know how long you've attended Lillian, but isn't a couple of years enough?"

"Apparently not. But Lillian University is not really like that anymore, just for your info. But hmmm..." Sei cocked her head to the left and rubbed her chin with her fingers. "I do get the feeling you don't like this school very much."

"You got that right, Sherlock Holmes," Yumi replied with a grin. "Like I said: ultra-serene atmosphere and funny traditions. Says enough, I think."

Sei laughed out loud again. "Funny traditions? Oh, so that's what you think about the soeur-system? Well, I have to say that you maybe got a point there. But it's a very nice tradition as well, you know."

Yumi shrugged. "Could be. Not for me, though. I never heard of such a thing before I entered this school."

"Ah, I meant to ask, but did you enter Lillian in your first year of high school? Because I honestly can't remember seeing you around in my last year, and I'm positive I would've noticed someone like you walking around on campus."

"Nope." Yumi stretched out her arm and made a V-sign with her fingers. "Entered this school in my second year."

"Ooh, that's why!" Sei looked impressed. "Then you must be either a really smart student or someone must've bribed the headmistress, because as far as I know they rarely accept students in any other year than the first of every section!"

"No idea. My mother took care of that," Yumi replied casually.

"Oh, then it must've been bribe, cause you don't look like a very diligent student to me," Sei said with a grin.

"Look who's the one being mean now!"

All this time, Sachiko had silently witnessed the interaction between Sei and Yumi. There was nothing wrong with the two of them exchanging words, of course, if only she had not slowly felt annoyance growing inside of her. Annoyance towards Sei. The woman seemed to be able to act so naturally with Yumi on a level Sachiko feared she would never reach. It was simply frustrating to see how spontaneous and lively both of them acted towards one another, and Sachiko felt even more irritated when she realized she would never be able to act so carefree as Sei could.

"In any case, I actually came here to have a conversation with Sachiko-san," Yumi said matter-of-factly.

Those words brought life back into Sachiko as she had done nothing but stand there and listen for the past few minutes.

"Right, sorry!" Sei smiled apologetically at Sachiko. "My mistake! I shall leave you two alone now." She thoughtfully scratched the back of her head. "Shoot, Shimako is probably long gone by now. Missed her again."

"Actually, she might still be at the library now," said Yumi. "I met her in the hallway and she said she had to return a book or something."

"Oh, really? Thanks, Yumi-chan!" Sei abruptly gave Yumi a hug and Sachiko suddenly felt her level of annoyance reach a dangerous peak. Her right hand had formed itself a fist and her left eye was twitching.

_What on earth was Sei doing?_

"W-What the hell?" Yumi roared and she jumped away from Sei. "_What_ is your problem?"

"That was to express my gratitude," Sei said with a wink "Although it could also be because you're actually so cute!"

"You really _are_ weird," Yumi huffed but her cheeks were wearing a nice red hue.

"Hahaha, so adorable! You're blushing!"

Sachiko was convinced her nails would leave a permanent mark in the palm of her hand; she was clenching her fist so hard it hurt.

"It's cause I'm _pissed_, that's why!" Yumi bellowed. That, however, didn't seem to faze Sei at all. Instead, the girl kept laughing her pants off.

"Sure, you keep saying that to yourself!" she panted when her laughter had died away. "Aaaah, you're fun, Yumi-chan!" she added cheerfully and turned to Sachiko. "You make sure you don't let this girl get away, okay? See you again, _Sacchan_!"

Sachiko managed to give Sei an extremely cramped smile. The latter simply smirked and after giving one last wave to the two girls she quickly walked in the direction of the library.

"She's probably one of the strangest persons I've ever met," said Yumi as she and Sachiko watched the ex-White Rose walk away.

"Oh? I was under the impression you were amusing yourself with her," said Sachiko and she tried her very best to not sound displeased to the core.

"Amusing myself? Don't know about that," Yumi replied with a grin, but that quickly died away when she saw Sachiko's expression. "I mean, she's a bit crazy I think."

"It is Sei-sama," Sachiko simply said.

It was the same Sei from last year, the one who had always been so good with other people. Sachiko had never minded that, quite the contrary; knowing how difficult Sei's school life had been at first, she had only felt overjoyed that the woman had finally found its way around the school in her last year. Everybody had loved her carefree yet at times serious ways so it had been no surprise that she had made many students admire her that year.

However, this was _not_ allowed to happen to Yumi. Sachiko knew she was being unreasonable and downright strange, but she did _not_ want Yumi and Sei to become familiar with each other. The thought alone made her fuming mad!

"Uhm, Sachiko-san?"

"Yes?"

"You look like you're about to, uhm, punch someone's lights out or something."

"Huh?" Sachiko looked down and saw that both hands had formed fists now and that the knuckles were white.

"Not that I would've cared if you actually did punch anyone other than me the lights out. Might be a funny thing to watch," teased Yumi. "But… Is there something the matter..?"

It was only now that Sachiko fully realized her odd train of thoughts and her unusual behavior. She relaxed her hands and wondered why on earth she had felt so possessive over Yumi just now. It was true that she wanted Yumi to become her petite soeur, but that was still no reason for her to be feeling _this_ possessive over the girl, right?

"Not really, but thank you for asking," Sachiko lied. She felt remarkably odd at the moment.

"Oh, okay." Yumi seemed to relax a bit as well. "So, you wanted to discuss something with me?" she asked.

All of a sudden the reason for calling Yumi here came back to Sachiko's mind, and she felt a different kind of stress building up in her again.

"Yes…" Sachiko cleared her throat. "I was wondering how things must go further from here?" she came straight to the point. "Tomorrow is the deadline of our agreement, but I for one… Honestly, I for one have actually enjoyed these past few weeks and the time we got to spend with each other. I'm happy I got to know you a bit. I don't wish this to end."

Sachiko was a bit shocked by her own honesty now, but she figured that being honest to herself and Yumi was the best course of action. At least then she knew what Yumi's thoughts about her really were. She held her breath for Yumi's reply.

A blush crept to Yumi's face as well as a tiny smile, and suddenly she looked like a shy girl who had received words of praise for the first time.

Sachiko felt her heart skip a beat at the sight of that adorable scene.

"Geez, such corny words," Yumi finally said, but the mixture of embarrassment and glee were obvious in her voice. "But yeah, I have to admit… I actually liked spending time with you as well, Sachiko-san."

A profound feeling of happiness surged through Sachiko's body now. In an instant, the whole ordeal with Sei had been forgotten.

"Yumi—"

"Don't get me wrong," Yumi cut in. "I did like spending time with you, but we actually only spend time with each other _outside_ of school. If we were to hang out at school as well, I don't think we'd like spending time with each other that much anymore, because then you would want me to behave like a maiden all the time and then I'd get angry because of that and then we would have discussions all over again. I seriously don't want that to happen."

Yumi looked very serious at this point and Sachiko watched her thoughtfully. What the girl had said actually had a good chance of happening. Although Sachiko really understood now that Yumi wouldn't let herself be told anything by anyone, she could probably not always keep herself from telling the girl to behave more appropriately. It was kind of her second nature to do so.

"You might be correct," Sachiko replied softly. What could they do, then?

She felt a certain hopelessness take over her now.

"I don't get the people who know of this school," Yumi suddenly cried out and she began pacing around restlessly. "If they see two people hang out, they immediately think they're soeurs. What's the deal with that? I mean, Kashiwagi-san thought so, Sei-san came to the same conclusion while the only thing I did was sitting there in the Rose Mansion... And those silly girls at your party were also surprised I wasn't your petite soeur! Can't two people who spend time with each other just be friends?"

"We are friends?" was the first thing that came up in Sachiko's mind and that she voiced out. She immediately felt a bit ashamed for sounding like a little kid just now.

"Uhm, well..." Yumi looked a bit uneasy now. "If two people like spending time with each other, even though they are so different from each other... It still makes them friends, right?"

"...Right."

Sachiko felt overjoyed again.

She sighed; why was she being so whimsical?

It really seemed like every small thing that concerned Yumi could make or break her mood.

It confused her to no end.

"And friends, even though different, manage to respect their differences, right?" Yumi continued. "They manage to overcome them, right?"

"I suppose so."

"...and it's normal for friends to want to get to know each other so much better, right..?" Yumi muttered in a quiet voice, but she seemed to be speaking more to herself than to Sachiko. "...isn't it normal for them to want to become much closer, to become each other's solace in times of sorrow, to..."

Yumi's eyes widened in realization of what she had been mumbling all this time. Her face turned beet-red.

She laughed her embarrassment away. "Ah crap, what the hell have I been saying all this time? Don't mind me, I didn't get much sleep last night!"

Yumi's behaviours intrigued Sachiko, but then she noticed that she couldn't think properly at the moment. Her body felt tired and she was slowly getting a headache and she desperately wished for some time alone now to gather her thoughts.

"Yumi," she softly said. "Thank you."

"Huh? For what?"

"For all of this." Sachiko smiled warmly at Yumi at which the latter blushed again.

Sachiko cursed the fact that Yumi looked so cute when she was blushing.

Her heart skipped a beat again.

This was _not_ normal.

"You should really _stop_ saying such corny words," Yumi murmured, casting her eyes away. "Anyways, Sachiko-san?"

"Yes!" Sachiko had never meant to shout, but she had been so stunned by her own thoughts that she had felt no control over the functions of her body anymore. However, now she thought about it, it definitely hadn't been the first time she had felt this dazed by Yumi's appearance.

"Wanna go home now? I need to take care of dinner this evening so I really can't stay much longer," Yumi said.

"Of course," Sachiko replied quickly.

"Okay then. Let's go." Yumi eyed the older girl weirdly, but didn't say anything.

The two girls slowly walked to the school gates in silence. Sachiko didn't particularly mind this because strange sensations and confusing thoughts were raging through her body now, making it impossible for her to have a decent conversation with anyone.

She wanted to make Yumi her petite soeur. Nothing wrong with that; she liked the girl and her company.

But when she had witnessed Sei acting so familiar with Yumi she had felt this certain annoyance taking over her. Sometimes that was Sei's way to behave, she knew that; but she couldn't behave so with Yumi! It wasn't right!

...It wasn't right? Here she was, having those strange thoughts again!

_What _was going on with her?

Sachiko felt how her headache was growing stronger and wished she could just lie down and let sleep wash away all of her thoughts. She groaned.

"Hahaha, did you just imitate a bear or something?"

Sachiko looked around and noticed they had reached the school gates. The place was deserted by now. Yumi was looking at her in amusement.

"That was actually a really funny noise, hearing it come from you!" Yumi laughed.

"I didn't even notice that I made that sound," Sachiko replied tiredly. "I just feel a bit stressed right now," she unconsciously added in a murmur.

Sachiko saw Yumi watch her in worry before a grin appeared on the girl's face, which quickly faded away again.

"It's probably because of all those boring parties you've been forced to attend," Yumi suddenly said in a serious tone. "You need to relax more."

"Hmm?" Sachiko was momentarily perplexed by Yumi's odd and out-of-the-blue assumption.

The grin, more mischievous now, appeared on Yumi's lips again. A strange glint was present in the younger girl's eyes.

"Sachiko-san, have you ever been to a _real_ party..?"

* * *

**A/N:** A word about Sachiko's being so honest in this chapter: at that point, she is not aware that she likes Yumi more than a friend/soeur. So it wouldn't have been *overtly* awkward to say what she had wanted to say. And although it's probably an embarrassing thing to tell someone, she already had the vague idea that Yumi also liked her as a friend, so that would make it somewhat less embarrassing for her. And, well, Sachiko likes to say such things sometimes, right? ;)

Loads of conversations this chapter. The next one will _probably_ contain more 'action'. ;)

Oh... And this might not be the last of Sei we have seen. (Muaha!)

By the way I seriously should consider changing the title of this fic because I had this idea I wanted to incorporate into the story at first, but now I'm not sure if I'll be able to. I'm too lazy to come up with a new title, though... D;

As always, thanks for sharing your thoughts with me!

Now make this author happy by leaving a review? xD


	11. In da club

I don't own Maria-sama ga miteru.

**Chapter XI. In da club**

She must have been totally out of her mind, inviting Sachiko to a party.

Well, not actually a party, just a club, which was basically the same as a party.

But what the _hell_ had she been thinking? Sachiko wasn't suited at all for going clubbing!

...Well, it was bound to be hilarious one way or another, though.

Saturday. Yumi sat in her room in front of the mirror, checking out various outfits suited for going out. Casual jeans, cute white spaghetti strapped top and sneakers; casual jeans, fairly tight black blouse with awesome matching boots; casual jeans with...

Yumi groaned and let herself drop on the clothes-scattered bed. She stared up at the ceiling and let _that_ conversation with Sachiko go through her mind again.

* * *

_"Sachiko-san, have you ever been to a __real__ party?"_

"_Of course I have been to a real party before."_

"_No way, I'm not counting the parties you attend as 'real parties'. With 'real party' I mean the kind where you just let yourself loose on the dance floor or something and enjoy the heck out of yourself."_

"_Why is that labelled as a 'real party' and mine not?"_

"_Do I even need to explain? Come on, everyone at your parties is as stiff as a poker. There's hardly any dancing, it's just talking. It's all formal stuff."_

"_Yet they are labelled as parties as well."_

"_Fine, they're parties. But not real ones, though... Anyway! Do you, ehm... Do you want me to take you to a real party one day?"_

"_...Excuse me?"_

"_Well, yeah... I mean, I've been to _two_ of your parties already, while you haven't been none to mine! It would be only fair if I took you to one, right?"_

"_Do you have a party coming up then?"_

"_No, not really... But, going to a club is the same as going to a party. It's always a party there!"_

"_...I suppose, if you wish to take me, it can't harm to at least come along, to have the experience..?"_

"_Right! It'll be like a whole new experience for you, I'm sure!"_

"_Yumi—"_

"_Hey, I really gotta go home now. But we'll go over the details some other time, okay?"_

"_That is fine by me..."_

"_Okay, great! See you then!"_

_

* * *

_

It was now two hours before she had to meet up with Sachiko at 'S Club 7', one of the hippest night clubs in the district of Tokyo where they lived. Yumi was still staring at the ceiling of her room.

No, she hadn't been out of her mind when she had invited Sachiko to go with her to a club. In fact, she had had a very good reason for asking the girl to come along.

Truth to be told, Sachiko's honesty had surprised her at first. She had not expected the girl to flat out say she had enjoyed the time they had spent together and then mention she didn't want it to end. Of course, when she was being considered as a soeur, it would be odd for Sachiko to think otherwise, but it had still surprised her at that time.

Later, though, when they had been walking towards the school gate after their conversation, she had come to the realization that Sachiko, in a way, usually also spoke her mind freely, but simply in a completely different way than _she_ would. Sachiko, for one, had always made it clear what her opinion was about how she, unladylike Yumi, was behaving. Perhaps the girl had done it in a way which had been unpleasant for her to deal with, but then she had realized that her ways of making things clear had also been very unpleasant for Sachiko. Furthermore, the Red Rose had also been honest at that time they had been sitting in the garden of the Ogasawara mansion. That had been a nice conversation, despite the fact that it had been the result of something far less joyful. And hadn't Sachiko also been pretty frank when she had been scolding her for acting so tough against Hikaru? She had remembered that at the time she had been a bit loss for words as well.

All of those memories had come to surface in her mind as she had been walking to the school gates together with Sachiko that day. Together with that had come the understanding that it had perhaps not been so surprising for Sachiko to speak honestly about her feelings of the past few weeks.

That she had enjoyed it...

...that she didn't want it to end.

Going from that, Yumi's mind had flown to places further away. It had remembered that Sachiko had always been so worried about her... It had reminded her of the nearly fact that Sachiko wanted them to become soeurs...

It had screamed to her that there was no mistake about it: Sachiko cared deeply for her.

And in that instant, Yumi had understood. As a very warm, pleasant sensation had run through her body when thinking about Sachiko and how the girl cared for her, she had finally understood—no, she had finally admitted, because deep down inside she had already known—her own feelings.

That she truly liked Sachiko in a way beyond merely friendship.

And _that_ was why she had suddenly proposed Sachiko to go out to a club together. It had been a spur-of-the-moment thing; she hadn't even really thought it through; the only thing that had occupied her mind back then was the desire of wanting to know what could happen when they were both dancing in the dark, under the influence of the music and the heat and the proximity and maybe a couple of drinks.

Yumi felt like she couldn't possibly directly tell Sachiko what her feelings were nor keep them un-experimented for a long time. She was afraid of what Sachiko might think of her, because although she knew the older girl liked her and cared for her, she didn't know to what extend that was. She herself couldn't care less whether a couple consisted of two people of a different gender or not, but she had no idea what Sachiko's thoughts on the subject were; and after all, Sachiko was someone who came from such an elite world, someone who followed the rules so diligently...

No, she'd rather take her shot during a party than confronting Sachiko directly. It could save them an extreme awkwardness and maybe even the ending of their friendship, although she couldn't possibly imagine Sachiko keeping away from her because of that. But she didn't want to take that risk, because now she had gotten to know this stiff, annoying, strict, beautiful, lovely, great girl, she didn't want her out of her life. Being just friends was better than being nothing...

So she desired to know what she could experience when she was dancing with Sachiko, and if it could lead to more than only dancing... and if Sachiko didn't like it, well, then she could always blame it on the beat and the booze... and then perhaps make the pain to away by drinking some more booze.

Yumi got up from her bed and finally decided her outfit for the night: casual jeans, cute white tank top—which could be quite seductive in its own way—and killer boots. Her hair she simply let loose and she put on some make-up, but just a little; she didn't want to look like a skank.

She looked at herself in the mirror; not very displeased with the result. Of course, she would never reach Sachiko's level of beauty, but no earthling would probably accomplish that feat.

Yumi smiled.

She was looking forward to tonight.

* * *

Sachiko had no real ulterior reason for accepting Yumi's invitation other than that she simply wished to spend some time with the younger girl and experience more of her world. She had never been to a night club before, and she had her reasons for that, but she hadn't wanted to deny herself some time together with Yumi. After all, those were to be treasured.

Sachiko looked around but there was no sign of Yumi yet. She herself was standing in front of the club, but across the street; and not far was her red sports car, and in it sat someone she had the feeling Yumi wouldn't be very pleased to see.

"Hey, Sachiko-san!"

Yumi came running up to her and Sachiko broke out into a huge smile.

"You look very cute tonight, Yumi," she said, but the more correct word would be 'hot', although Sachiko would never be able to get that word past her lips, especially not when it concerned Yumi.

"Thanks. You...You look great tonight as well!"

Sachiko blushed when she heard the compliment, or maybe she was blushing because she could see Yumi eyeing her entire body, up and down. Thank goodness she hadn't put on clothes that showed _too_ much skin, or else she would've blushed even more. She had to admit that at the moment she was still feeling confused about what she had felt that day when Sei had been there, but she didn't want to think about it now. Tonight, she was simply going to enjoy her time with Yumi.

"Shall we get in the line for going inside now?" Sachiko asked hastily.

"Oka-"

"Hello, Yumi-chan."

Yumi abruptly looked up. There was Kashiwagi, dressed as if he was ready for a night out as well.

"What the—What the hell are _you_ doing here?" Yumi cried out in surprise, but obviously not pleased to see him.

"I actually drove Sacchan here," Kashiwagi answered with a smile.

Sachiko looked at Yumi apologetically. "I'm so sorry, Yumi... He insisted to take me here and wouldn't let me leave if I didn't agree." Then she turned her attention to Kashiwagi and her gaze became cold. "You said you'd wait in the car, though," she said in a low voice.

"Sure sure," Kashiwagi replied cheerfully. "I just got out of the car to say hello to Yumi-chan. There's nothing wrong with that, right?"

"Nope. Now get back in the car where you belong, 'kay?" said Yumi in a cheerful voice while wearing a horrible smile. "Come on, Sachiko-san, let's get in line."

Sachiko gave her cousin one last grim look and followed Yumi to the back of the line, which was already pretty long despite it being still early in the evening.

"So why did Kashiwagi-san insist to bring you?" asked Yumi as they were waiting for their turn to enter.

"I don't really know," Sachiko sighed. "He was just standing in front of the door all of a sudden, _with_ the keys of my car in his hands. He wouldn't give them to me and all the others cars were unavailable so I had no choice but to give in. I didn't want to miss this evening with you, you know."

Yumi smiled. "Oh—Okay. But ugh, I do wonder why your cousin is acting like such a prick—sorry for calling him a prick, but it's a fact he is one."

Sachiko couldn't stop the giggle escaping her lips.

The two girls lapsed in silence and patiently shuffled forward, slowly moving closer to the entrance and the rhythmic beats that could be heard even outside. Sachiko could feel her heart pound like those beats; this was actually a bit exciting...

"What a coincidence!"

Sachiko's mouth ungraciously fell open when she saw who it was that had spoken to them.

"Sei-san?" exclaimed Yumi, voicing out Sachiko's thoughts.

"Yumi-chan! And who is this standing next to you..? Oh, _wow..._" Sei stared at Sachiko as if she couldn't believe her eyes. "Sachiko! Wait, is it really you, _Sacchan_? Isn't this just some weird dream of mine?"

"Why would I be part of some weird dream of yours?" Sachiko said stiffly and she couldn't stop her glare towards Sei. That woman was going to ruin the evening for her!

"Hahaha, only the real Sachiko is able to look at me like that!" Sei laughed. A thoughtful look appeared on her face as abruptly as her laughter had died away. "How come you are here, Sachiko? If I recall correctly, it's nothing like you to come to a club like this."

"Yumi-chan invited me to come along. I agreed. Is there something the matter with that?" Sachiko was not feeling in the mood to talk much to Sei—the girl's familiarity with Yumi was still fresh in her memory—although she knew she would be playing precisely in Sei's cards if she kept acting this cold.

Sei turned to Yumi. "Nice going! You sure have this influence on our dear Sachiko—might certainly not be a bad thing, if I say so myself!" She winked at Sachiko. The latter could only produce a dirty look.

"Sei..." came a voice from behind the woman.

"Oh, right! Girls, this is Katou Kei," said Sei. A serious-looking yet fairly attractive woman wearing glasses smiled at them.

"We should wait in line as well," Kei reminded her friend.

"Oh yeah, got a point there. I was just so shocked seeing these two here!" Sei put an arm around Kei and waved the two girls goodbye. She then proceeded to the back of the line with her arm still around the other woman.

"We'll probably see each other inside!" she managed to shout at them.

"I can't wait," Sachiko grumbled in a low tone. Sei had already been so familiar with Yumi when they had been at the school grounds in broad daylight; so who knows what the woman might do here! Sachiko shook her head; it was better not to think of that, because the idea alone was making her infuriated.

"That girl, Kei-san," said Yumi, breaking Sachiko from her thoughts. "Could she be... I don't know, Sei-san's girlfriend?"

"Hmmm?" Sachiko looked at Yumi in surprise. "What makes you say that?"

"Well..." Despite the crowd and the noise surrounding them, Sachiko could still sense Yumi seemed a bit unsure. "Sei-san did put her arm around that woman. That's not something you would do to just a normal friend, right?"

Sachiko tried to see the back of the line from where she was standing, but she could see no glimpse of Sei nor Kei.

"I suppose so," Sachiko replied when she had her head turned back. "It doesn't really matter to me whether they are friends or more than just friends, though," she added as an afterthought. After all, she had seen hints about Sei's sexual orientation plenty before, and she had never made a big fuss over it. That is, as long as the woman didn't go after Yumi.

Sachiko gasped softly when she realized what she had been thinking just now.

"Really? It doesn't matter?" asked Yumi, making Sachiko almost jump up surprise.

"What doesn't matter?" Sachiko in turn asked, a bit disoriented.

"You know... Whether Kei-san is Sei-san's friend or girlfriend."

"No, not really. Why do you ask?" Sachiko watched Yumi in interest.

"Ah. So... You wouldn't mind, you know, if two girls were together? As a couple?" Yumi said a bit more firmly, but with a small smile. "I'm just being curious now, with you being so proper and all that shiz, and coming from the world you come from... I was just wondering what your thoughts of it were."

Sachiko understood what Yumi was trying to say: that it seemed a bit odd if she, strict Ogasawara Sachiko, wouldn't care if someone was gay or not. But in all honesty, she really _didn't _mind. Despite her background and upbringing, she just couldn't see how two people loving each other could be wrong, whether they were of the different sex or not. On that subject, she was quite liberal-thinking. Of course, she didn't share her opinions with the world because there was honestly no reason to, but now that Yumi had asked her flat out, she saw no harm in telling her—the girl was probably quite liberal-thinking about it herself. Well, _that_ wouldn't have been a surprise.

"I understand," said Sachiko with a smile. "And I know this might surprise you, but I honestly can't bring myself to think that it is wrong for two people of the same gender to be together as a couple. After all, love is simply love, right?"

Sachiko suddenly had the feeling that she wasn't only answering Yumi's question, but that she was also trying to tell herself something.

"Yeah, you're absolutely right!" Yumi exclaimed. She looked rather happy. "But enough of this talk now!" she shouted, trying to make herself audible above the beats that were drumming pretty loudly in their ears now. She pointed at the entrance. "We can finally go inside!"

The two girls paid income and then found themselves in a dark hall which was only lit by blue neon lights hanging from the walls and ceiling. Since they had brought no coats with them to hang away, they hurried to the main room of the club.

In the darkness and the deliberately flickering lights and flashy laser-beams Sachiko could distinguish a large stage in the middle of the room, although the room was so big and there were so many people already that she was certain there were plenty of other stages at the back of the room for her to discover. She noticed there were also broad doorways to other adjacent halls.

Although she generally didn't like crowds and a lot of commotion, this time she felt like she wouldn't mind; in fact, the music and the atmosphere were kind of thrilling to her, and she felt like she was grinning like a loon now. Yumi looked up to her, grinning as well.

"Come on, Sachiko-san!" she shouted. Sachiko could only hear her with much effort. "Let's get ourselves a drink first! There's one good thing about Kashiwagi-san bringing you here; now you don't have to drive home yourself!"

Yumi, still grinning, grabbed Sachiko's hand and pulled her along to the bar. Sachiko decided to just stand there first, letting this new experience get to her, and let Yumi order the drinks.

"Here you go!" Yumi said after a while. She was holding two glasses in her hands and handed her one.

"What's this!" Sachiko had to yell to make herself audible.

Yumi laughed. "Drink it! It's something that'll loosen you up for sure!"

Sachiko saw the other girl take a long sip from her glass, so she figured it couldn't harm her much. She brought the beverage to her lips and sipped it; the taste was not bad at all. Actually, it was pretty good; different than any other thing she had drunk before; it tasted a bit sweet, but gave her a burning sensation at the end.

"Good, isn't it!" Yumi had been looking at her all this time.

"I suppose it is not bad!" Sachiko shouted back. She took another sip and the burning sensation in her throat was even more prominent now.

Sachiko wasn't ignorant; she knew perfectly well it was an alcoholic beverage she was drinking now, but she figured she could handle it. After all, she sometimes drank champagne at one of her parties as well and could stand it, and this drink Yumi had gotten her couldn't possibly be so much more worse. Or maybe she just didn't care.

Slowly, as she saw people before her dancing and moving to the rhythm of the music, Sachiko started to feel how the beat was pounding against her body and she was getting drawn to the dance floor. Her second glass was empty by now and the urge to let herself be swept away by the music was growing stronger and stronger by the minute.

As this unusual sensation was taking over her, she felt how someone nudged her.

"Sachiko-san!"

Sachiko lazily turned her head to see Yumi watching her; she felt how the girl had taken her hand again.

"Dance floor! Now!"

Without struggling Sachiko let herself be dragged along by Yumi, and soon they found themselves somewhere on the dance floor amongst many other people who didn't seem to care for anything else in the world than the here and now.

Now that she was really here on the dance floor, Sachiko noticed that she still had inhibitions about letting it all go and dancing her thoughts away. However, those inhibitions quickly faded away when she saw Yumi dance to the mixture of songs in such a carefree manner that she herself felt like moving the same way.

Sachiko closed her eyes and slowly yet surely she started to move her body as well. After that first hesitance, her movements to the beats followed swiftly and before she knew it she was dancing. She had agreed to come here partially to experience something new. And this experience was definitely new.

Sachiko didn't think about rules or manners or reputation as she let the rhythmic sensation wash over her and take her away to a place where none of those things mattered. She moved her body freely and her mind also seemed to have wandered to realms where logic lost its reign over her actions. The only things that were important now were the music and the dance floor and Yumi and the proximity of their bodies and the burning heat that was surging through the core of her very being...

Yumi had turned around from her initial position and was now facing Sachiko. The girl simply continued to dance in front of her and Sachiko noticed how she was captivated by the look Yumi was giving her. She couldn't quite place what it meant, yet having those brown eyes pierce her blue ones in such a fervent way made her feel like she was allowed to lose all sense of control now...

Sachiko started to dance even closer to Yumi, but her movements were a bit different now—almost seductive. She was feeling light-headed and excited and wanted to share that exhilarating thrill with the girl who had allowed her to experience all of this—the girl who was making her feel even more excited now with the way she was moving and the way she was slowly putting her arms around her neck and the way she was hungrily looking up into her eyes whilst moving her head a bit closer to hers...

Another rush of heat was running through her body now, and Sachiko felt even more light-headed and aroused. She put her hands at the sides of Yumi's waist. Her face was so close to Yumi's now that if one of them just moved an few inches closer, their lips would have touched. They danced like this for a while, and Sachiko could feel how her tongue licked her lips as if they were preparing them for whatever was to come. Absolutely nothing mattered anymore, except Yumi and the excitement she was feeling now and the passion that was taking over her...

...her heart was racing in her chest...

...the heat was flowing through every inch of her body...

...her mind was starting to get blank...

...her knees were threatening to give up on her...

Sachiko was barely able to realize that she had gone from dancing with Yumi to leaning on Yumi. She had difficulty breathing and her body felt so heavy.

"S-Sachiko-san?" Yumi's voice sounded a bit confused, but it quickly turned more worried and even panicky.

"Sachiko-san! What's wrong! Sachiko-sa—"

Sachiko felt how a pair of strong arms grabbed her and tried to lead her away from the crowd.

"Yumi-chan, follow me," she heard a familiar male voice say.

"Suguru-san..?" Sachiko managed to whisper. Kashiwagi said nothing but instead he picked her up and carried her all the way outside and then to the red sports car.

"What's wrong? What happened to Sachiko-san!" Yumi cried out when Kashiwagi was busying himself with making sure Sachiko was safely secured in the vehicle. Sachiko wanted to tell Yumi herself that there was nothing to worry about, but she noticed she felt too weak to do so.

Yumi, however, wasn't the only one with that question.

"Kashiwagi-san!" Sei and Kei were crossing the street to the red vehicle.

"What happened to Sachiko? I saw you carrying her outside," said Sei in worry.

"Don't worry, everything will be okay," Kashiwagi said when he had finished securing Sachiko. He turned to Yumi, Sei and Kei.

"Sacchan is terrible with crowds," he explained. "It's been like this since we were children. If Sacchan's at a place full with people she doesn't know, she gets dizzy after a while. Call it a sickness caused by crowds or whatever you like, but the point is that sooner or later she will suffer this sort of attack. It happened quite soon this evening because everybody here is so packed together."

"...You knew this would happen, didn't you," said Yumi quietly. Worry sounded through in her voice. "That's why you insisted to bring her here and that's why you snuck inside even though you told us you'd wait in the car."

"All of what you say is true," Kashiwagi replied gravely. "I'm sorry I had to bother your date with Sacchan like this, Yumi-chan. Trust me; I'd rather have that I'm not needed, either."

Sachiko, sitting in the car but with the door open, could hear their conversation and she wished she could apologize to Yumi for not telling her about her condition; but she was still feeling a bit delirious now and wasn't able to lift her voice.

"So why didn't you stop her from going then, if you knew!" Yumi asked angrily.

"Because Sacchan really wanted to go out with you this evening," Kashiwagi simply answered.

Sachiko felt herself smile a little at hearing those words; it was true, she had been looking so forward to this evening with Yumi that she had felt that she would be even able to surpass that lousy health problem of hers. How she wished she could tell Yumi that herself, but right now a deep tiredness was threatening to make her fall into a slumber.

"It's best you go home now, Yumi-chan," Kashiwagi said, still in that same serious voice. "I will bring Sacchan home and make sure she's attended to in the best possible way."

"No—Please let me go with you!" Yumi uttered. Through her heavily lidded eyes Sachiko was still able to see that the girl almost seemed to be on the verge of tears now. "It's my fault—because I took her here—because I gave her those drinks—because—"

"It's not your fault, Yumi-chan," Kashiwagi cut in smoothly, but Sachiko could hear in his voice that he was being gentle. "It's always been like this. You just be happy that you've given Sacchan such a wonderful time, alright? I'm positive she wouldn't have taken it this far is she hadn't been enjoying herself."

"But—"

"I will make sure Sacchan calls you tomorrow, if she's up to it. But for now it's best if you went home."

"Come on, Yumi-chan," said Sei softly. "I will take you home now. You, Kashiwagi-san, you make sure Sachiko returns home safely and that she's alright by tomorrow, got it?"

"Of course I will."

Ignoring the others, Yumi quickly went to Sachiko's side and gently placed her hand in her own. "Get well, Sachiko-san," she whispered. "Please call me tomorrow, if you can."

The last thing Sachiko felt before falling asleep was a soft hand touching her right cheek.

* * *

**A/N:** 'S Club 7' was a British pop group. I wonder if there are people here who still remember them. :)

I tackled the gay-issue in this chapter just to give the story a tiny bit more realism (realism? what realism!). After all, it isn't surprising for Yumi to wonder what the opinion is of someone like Sachiko. But now that we both know they're fine with it, that matter has been solved.

I tried to write fluff in this chapter but I doubt that what I've written can be considered as fluff. I don't think I've ever written real fluff before and I have this feeling it's not my forte either; but I'll do what I can. xD *gets beaten up again*

Doesn't the last scene seem familiar to you? ;) Well, I figured that Sachiko wouldn't cope very long in a club environment, which is very crowded and warm and busy. In this story Sachiko is *still* not good with crowds, as I've hinted already in chapter 7 and 8. Plus, she's had some drinks as well and for some reason I can't see Sachiko as the type of person who would be able to drink shot after shot. That's why she's gotten a bit tipsy after two glasses of (nevertheless strong) alcohol already. (Completely wasted Sachiko would be interesting to see; can someone please write a story with that? Thanks!)

Thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts with me! Keep sharing those thoughts and opinions! ;)


	12. A solution of minor importance

I don't own MariMite!

**Chapter XII. A solution of minor importance  
**

Yumi woke up late. It was already bright in her room with the sunshine beaming through the curtains. Still befuddled with sleep, Yumi managed to stumble out of her bed and into the bathroom. Only when she had splashed some cold water on her face did she remember what had happened last night. She couldn't stop a gasp when all the memories came flooding back to her, and as if it was some sort of sign her mother knocked on the door of the bathroom.

"Finally woken up, sleepyhead?" said Miki. "Come downstairs for a moment, Sachiko-san is on the phone for you."

"S-Sachiko-san?"

Without bothering to dry her face Yumi dashed out of the bathroom and downstairs and clumsily picked up the phone in her hurry.

"This is Yumi," she breathed eagerly.

"Good morning, Yumi," came Sachiko's voice. "I hope I'm not keeping you from doing anything important now?"

"No, not at all! I just woke up."

Sachiko giggled softly. "You've just woken up now? That's awfully late."

"Ah, well, it's Sunday, there's no bother waking up early, right?"

"Well, if that is how you feel about it."

Yumi gripped the phone tighter. "Uhm, Sachiko-san... How are you feeling today?"

"I'm all fine now, Yumi; thank you."

"Thank goodness." Yumi heaved a loud sigh. "So Kashiwagi-san did manage to bring you home alright."

"Yes—he even let the doctor come so late at night. I protested against it at first. Really, so much trouble—"

"It's because you were in such a bad shape," Yumi interrupted roughly. She immediately regretted the tone of her voice. "I'm sorry," she said. "It's just... You scared the heck out of me last night, you really did."

"...I'm sorry for not telling you about my condition, Yumi. Honestly, I just forgot about it because I wanted to go out with you so badly."

Yumi closed her eyes as if she wanted to let Sachiko's words sink in.

There was absolutely no doubt about it anymore.

She really _really_ liked this girl.

"Don't worry about it," she said. "Ehm, Sachiko-san..?"

"Yes?"

"I don't want to sound like I'm imposing on you, but... Is it possible for me to come by your house today? I just want to see with my own eyes that you're alright now."

Yumi held her breath as she waited for Sachiko's answer.

"What time would be possible for you, Yumi?"

A smile appeared on her face.

When they had agreed on an hour, Yumi ate a quick brunch then went upstairs to prepare herself to go to Sachiko's house. Because her parents were going out later, she would have to take the bus and then walk a bit to the Ogasawara mansion, but Yumi didn't mind. She felt like she _needed_ to see Sachiko today.

Sachiko's illness had pushed everything else out of her mind yesterday, but now that she had been assured that everything was okay again Yumi could start thinking about the other things that had happened that evening, like the way Sachiko had danced with her... She felt how her heart started to pound faster by merely thinking about what had happened on the dance floor. She hadn't been drunk or even tipsy at that time—two drinks were not nearly enough to get her wasted—but she _had_ felt confident enough to move with Sachiko the way she had wanted to move.

She remembered how Sachiko had been staring into her eyes like some beast had been unleashed within her; those blue eyes had been burning so fervidly that she had lost herself completely in them. And they had been dancing so close at the end... Sachiko's hands on the sides of her waist and her own arms around the girl's neck, gazing into each other's eyes as their movements brought them to higher spirits...

Yumi groaned when she let that moment go through her mind again. They had been _so_ close to _more_, and if only Sachiko hadn't collapsed at that time, who knows what might have happened!

...But had all of that really happened because Sachiko actually liked her back? It would be logical to assume that Sachiko liked her as more than a normal friend or soeur because that girl wouldn't have danced so...passionately...with her if it were otherwise. Yet still...

Yumi felt how her heart kept beating faster and faster the longer she kept thinking about Sachiko. Right now she realized that perhaps she had underestimated how much she actually liked the girl, because the idea of Sachiko also liking her more than just a friend was making her so happy she was afraid her heart would burst out of her chest. Yet still she couldn't tell for sure whether that was the case or not, because she hadn't received any _actual_ proof of Sachiko's feelings. Sure, they had danced the way they had and she had sensed something might have happened if they had been given a little more time, but unfortunately that hadn't been the case and on top of that she knew that Sachiko's behaviour could perhaps be blamed by the mixture of high temperature, music and alcohol.

As she was combing her hair Yumi made a face when she realized how her own plan had backfired on her a bit, because now she couldn't say whether it had really been Sachiko's intention to behave so seductively or whether the girl had already been a bit delirious at that time. On the other hand, if Sachiko had harboured no feelings for her she wouldn't have acted like that, right..?

Yumi threw her comb on her bed and stopped herself from shouting out loud. This uncertainly was killing her! She was getting pissed just by thinking about how yesterday could have given her answers but hadn't, not really. If only...

If only she could somehow find out for real what Sachiko's true feelings were without giving away _too_ much of her own...

...That was the safest thing to do, right?

But how on earth would she have to accomplish that?

* * *

"Sachiko-ojou-sama, your guest has arrived."

"Thank you."

After those words a completely drenched Yumi came shuffling inside the living room.

"Yumi? What happened?" Sachiko exclaimed in surprise when she saw Yumi dripping water on the carpet.

Yumi shrugged. "It was really nice weather when I left the house but all of a sudden it started to rain and I didn't bring my umbrella with me."

"Then first thing we must do is get you out of those wet clothes—"

"No, really, don't bother," Yumi interrupted. "My clothes will dry soon enough if I just sit here in this warm room."

"You'll catch a cold!"

"I won't."

"Really, I _insist_ you dry yourself and then change into some new clothes. You can wear some of mine."

Yumi coloured visibly after those words. She grinned.

"I came here to see how you were doing and instead you immediately take care of me. Isn't that a bit ironic."

Sachiko smiled. "I will show you to the bathroom first. Please give me a moment then to find you some proper clothes."

Yumi nodded and Sachiko showed the girl where she could take off her clothes and dry herself. Then she proceeded to her own room to look for some garments that would fit Yumi. After gathering a jeans—in fact the only casual trousers she owned—and a white blouse she knocked on the bathroom door.

"Here, I think these should fit you."

A muffled voice came from behind the bathroom door. "Okay, thanks! Uhm, could you please leave them in front of the door? I still haven't finished drying myself, so..."

All a sudden the knowledge that there was Yumi behind that door who had probably gotten rid of her wet clothes made Sachiko want to burst into the bathroom and...

...and what?

Sachiko reddened at the thought. She did touch the bathroom door as if she wanted to push it open, but did nothing more than just stare at the knob.

"...Alright. I will leave the clothes here. Just take your time; I will wait for you in the living room."

Sachiko ordered hot tea to be brought to the living and then proceeded there herself. After a while Yumi entered the room, her hair which was loose now still a bit wet but the clothes she was wearing at least dry. The jeans was a bit too long for her and the blouse a bit too big—especially the sleeves and around the chest area—but nevertheless Sachiko thought Yumi looked quite handsome now, looking so casual and wearing a lopsided grin that made her look so carefree yet at the same time made it seem like there was some hidden mischief in the girl.

If Sachiko didn't know any better, she would have thought that she was dealing with a very feminine guy right now.

"Thanks for the clothes. They're a bit too big, though, but that's okay," Yumi said. Then she noticed Sachiko's mental absence. "Uhm, something the matter..?"

"Nothing is the matter," Sachiko replied out of breath. She turned her gaze away from Yumi and put down her cup of tea.

Now was definitely not the time to think about confusing things, about slumbering feelings; no, now was a time to simply enjoy the presence of Yumi, and there was nothing confusing or suspicious about enjoying that girl's company.

"Have some tea," Sachiko proposed and gestured at the porcelain cup with damping hot tea poured in it already. "It will warm you up immediately."

"Ah, thanks."

They sipped their tea in silence for a while. Then Yumi cleared the throat.

"I'm honestly glad to see that you're doing absolutely fine now," she said with a smile.

"Yes, a good night's rest was all I really needed," said Sachiko. "I was even up early this morning but I was feeling refreshed already."

"That's great." Yumi took another sip. She seemed to be hesitating a little. Another moment of silence followed until Sachiko cleared her throat this time.

"Yumi, I'm awfully sorry for yesterday."

"Huh? For not telling me about your condition? Really, you should stop apologizing for that—"

"Not, I'm not apologizing because of that," said Sachiko. "I'm apologizing for my behaviour of yesterday."

In the early morning while she had still been lying in bed, blurry memories of last night had come back to Sachiko, scenes in which she was dancing with Yumi. She hadn't been able to fully recall the details of what had happened on that dance floor—she had the idea that her mind had already been somewhat befogged by alcohol then—but what she had been able to remember was that she had behaved rather...indecently...around the younger girl.

Yumi seemed stunned for a moment. "...Your behaviour?"

Sachiko nodded. "Yes... I must honestly tell you now that I don't really remember everything that has happened last night, but I do remember vaguely that I was acting very inappropriately to you."

"...You don't remember well what has happened last night?"

Sachiko watched how Yumi's brown eyes bore into hers. For some reason she had the feeling that there was a look of hurt present in them.

"I'm afraid I don't," Sachiko apologized. "The only thing I recall is that I was moving in quite an indecent manner around you. I truly apologize for my offensive behaviour."

Yumi put down her cup of tea and crossed her arms in front of her chest while still staring Sachiko straight in the eyes. "What do you precisely remember?" she asked.

That question took Sachiko by surprise. "What I precisely remember, you ask?" She racked her brains. She knew she had been dancing very closely to Yumi even to the point where their bodies were touching, and she also had the strongest feeling that she had put her hands on the girl's waist as if trying to _claim_ Yumi, but other than that she couldn't remember anything else clearly.

"I recall that we were dancing very closely to each other," Sachiko answered slowly. "I think I was the one who initiated that...and I think I was touching you when we were dancing, which was very inappropriate of me and for which I am truly, truly sorry."

It was true that she was feeling very bad for it, but not because she was regretting that she had put her hands on Yumi's waist—that was actually something she wished to do more often because the thought of doing that felt so right—but because she had done so in her intoxicated state. Perhaps Yumi had felt very uncomfortable about it and she hadn't noticed, so if that had been the case then she had basically taken advantage of the girl that night. Feeling sorry about it and apologizing for it was the least she could do now.

"It was just dancing, you know," Yumi replied brusquely. "Nothing happened last night for which you have to apologize to me for. I mean, I didn't even bring it up, you just assumed on your own that it was wrong and simply decided to feel sorry about it. Well, _thank you_ for your apology, I _appreciate_ it." Her voice had gotten harsher and harsher the longer she had been speaking.

Sachiko had no idea what was happening to Yumi now.

"Yumi, are you angry?" she asked in confusion.

"Gee, I wonder what makes you say that," Yumi answered in awful sarcasm. Her expression reminded Sachiko of the arguments they had shared when they had first met.

"I don't understand why you are angry now," Sachiko said truthfully. She watched how Yumi got to her feet.

"Dammit," the younger girl wheezed. She looked furious now for some reason. "Why did you apologize, huh?" Yumi suddenly spat. "Because you were thinking about your manners and shit so you felt the need to apologize to me about your behaviour? Is that it? Or did you regret your actions for some other reason and you simply won't tell me?"

Sachiko was feeling beyond confused now. Right now she had absolutely no clue why Yumi was so mad with her; had she perhaps done anything to offend that girl? But she had done nothing more than apologize for her behaviour of last night!

"Yumi, I—"

"Oh my god, hear me talk now," Yumi suddenly said. "Like I'm some sort of bloody _drama queen_. ...Dammit!" She had muttered that last word under her breath, but Sachiko had still heard.

"Look, just forget about everything I just said now, okay?" Yumi pleaded. She looked a bit shocked of herself now.

"I honestly don't understand what has happened just now," Sachiko uttered. "And what do you mean by regretting my actions for some other reason and not telling you?"

"It's nothing," Yumi sighed. It really seemed like she wanted to simply erase everything she had said. "I was just acting really stupid just now, forget about it."

"Yumi—"

"Oh, crap!" Yumi suddenly cried out and she slapped her forehead with the palm of her hand. "Hey, Sachiko-san, I just remembered that I'm supposed to help my brother with cleaning the basement today because my parents are out, so I need to head back home now."

Sachiko was given no time to collect her confused thoughts as everything seemed to come so fast to her now, but she managed to feel deeply unfortunate because of Yumi's abrupt decision to leave already.

"But you have just gotten here," she said softly.

Yumi looked sideways and scratched her elbow. "Yeah, I know... I'm sorry. Thanks for the tea, though."

"But your clothes are still wet," Sachiko reminded the other girl.

"Oh, that's true..." Yumi looked unsure of how to deal with this situation.

"You can just keep wearing my clothes," Sachiko said and pointed at the blouse and jeans Yumi was wearing. "I will keep your clothes here and bring them to school tomorrow, all dried up. Is that fine with you?"

Yumi gratefully smiled at her. "Thank you—"

"And to avoid having you arrive home completely wet as well, I shall drive you home," Sachiko continued.

"Huh? Oh, there's really no need to go through so much trouble, Sachiko-san," Yumi quickly said. "I can get home by myself just fine."

"Ah, but I have a feeling that the rain won't have stopped by now. This means you'll get wet for sure and I don't want my clothes to get wet," Sachiko teased, succeeding in letting a small grin appear on Yumi's lips.

"You can just borrow me an umbrella, you know," Yumi said. "It would save you from this trouble."

"No. I'm driving you home, Yumi, just accept it." Sachiko giggled softly when she saw Yumi's dumbfounded look, but the girl gave in at last.

"Okay, but _only_ because your car is so totally awesome," she said with a grin.

"That is fine by me," Sachiko replied, also wearing a grin.

But in truth Sachiko wanted to drive Yumi home because she didn't want their time together to end and because she wanted to talk to Yumi as she was still confused about the girl's behaviour.

By the time they were ready to leave the rain was still pouring down from the grey sky. The two girls ran the few metres to the sports car and managed to enter it in still a pretty dry state.

"Wow, I seriously thought I'd never see you running," Yumi said with a laugh when she saw Sachiko's dishevelled appearance—at least, more dishevelled than the girl would usually look.

"I do run, when it's necessary," Sachiko said. "I simply don't run when I'm not allowed to."

"Are you going to start about Lillian's rules again?" Yumi asked in a bored fashion.

Sachiko suddenly turned to the girl. "One way or another, we need to find a solution for this," she stated firmly. "I can't have you walking around with a crumpled uniform or have you running on campus."

Yumi groaned in frustration. However, she suddenly turned very calm and turned her attention to Sachiko. "To avoid any quarrelling between us in the future, let's make a compromise," she said.

"A compromise again?"

"Yes, but this one will solve this little problem of ours."

"Alright then. Tell me."

Yumi took a deep sigh. "You make no comments about my uniform, nor at school nor outside of school, and you can't also complain about my manners. In return I will do my very best not to run around on campus and keep my uniform tidy—so basically I'd simply have to do my best to get up early to have enough time to get dressed properly and head to school without hurrying myself up."

It was something so simple yet for some reason Sachiko had never thought about it herself.

She frowned. "But you were always against adjusting yourself to the school," she reminded Yumi. "So why do you all of a sudden come up with this compromise that forces you to change your ways a bit?"

Yumi looked Sachiko straight in the eyes. "It's very simple: I just don't want to quarrel with you anymore about stupid things like that."

"Yumi—"

"Besides," Yumi continued, "you've gotten used to the way I talk already, so that's at least one thing I won't need to adjust." She winked at a thoughtful-looking Sachiko.

"I suppose that's true." A smile appeared on Sachiko's lips. Well, this was probably the best she could hope for. "Very well; I will agree to your compromise," she said. It was a very reasonable agreement and she was pleased that they had finally come up with a solution.

"Alright! I guess we've finally solved our issue," Yumi exclaimed looking quite pleased.

"Yes, indeed."

Sachiko started the engine of her car and drove off. The rain was still falling relentlessly from the heavens above and it was only getting worse. The sky was also slowly getting darker and darker. The car's headlights were turned on.

Sachiko took a quick glance at Yumi, who was staring out of the window, and felt an unexplainable warmth run through her body at the sight of her. But despite the fact that they had at last come up with a decent solution for the problem which had drove them together in the first place, she was still feeling bothered at the moment, and she knew perfectly well why.

The question was whether she was able to spend time with Yumi at school as well, because the younger girl had at first expressed her fear of returning to the situation of before. But now that they had agreed on this new compromise they wouldn't normally go back to arguing with each other so they could spend time together at school as well, right? Sachiko felt as if spending time together only outside of school wouldn't be nearly enough for her. She wanted _more_ time with Yumi.

She wanted _more_...

Sachiko inhaled sharply to chase away that thought out of her brain.

It hadn't been the first time that the idea of wanting more of Yumi crossed her mind. At first it had seemed logic to her, because she did want more of the girl, more precisely a soeur-relationship. Yet a tiny but confident voice in her heart had shouted to her that it wasn't a soeur-relationship that she really wanted. She had felt confused about that and if you added her possessiveness over Yumi and all the things she thought about Yumi, like how the girl was so cute yet beautiful and how it felt so right to touch her... Well, then her confusion grew even larger. She had never experienced feelings like these before and she had no idea how to categorize them.

If only she could somehow figure out what it all meant, what these feelings and emotions actually were, and get rid of her confusion that way... Because this was frustrating her. She didn't like to feel so ignorant.

The silence had stretched on for a while now so Sachiko decided to ask what she desperately wanted to know from Yumi.

"Care to tell me what it was all about before?"

"Hmm? What are you talking about?" said Yumi absent-mindedly, still looking outside the window.

"You were throwing a fit before, remember? You were angry about me apologizing to you."

"...No. I wasn't really angry about _that_," Yumi muttered.

"Care to explain what it is you were angry about then?" Sachiko tried when Yumi didn't elaborate further on her words.

It stayed silent for a while before Yumi in turn asked her a question. "Say, Sachiko-san, what was your first thought when you realized you had behaved 'indecent' around me?"

That caught Sachiko off guard. "Pardon me?" was the only thing she managed to say.

"Well, yeah, I mean—I'm just assuming that you at least _thought_ something when you realized what you had done, right?" Yumi said matter-of-factly. "Maybe you thought something like, 'oh my god, what must people seeing me have thought of me!' or something along those lines."

"No, that what you say has never even crossed my mind," Sachiko replied with a frown.

"Oh really? So you weren't fussing about what people might have been thinking about you?"

"_What_? Of course not!" Sachiko felt deeply hurt that Yumi apparently thought that she was the kind of person who greatly valued other people's opinions of her.

"So what _was_ your first thought then?" Yumi asked in a voice that was loaded with scepticism as if she wanted to provoke her.

Sachiko took another quick glance at the girl sitting next to her. Why was Yumi doing this to her? What was she trying to accomplish?

She suddenly felt angry about the girl's behaviour.

"_So_?"

"If you must know, my first thought was how good it must've felt!" Sachiko snapped. Then she felt herself turning red. And then a lot of other things happened at once.

Sachiko heard Yumi say something incomprehensible while at the same time she heard a loud bang which was then followed by her having a difficult time keeping the car on the road. A moment of chaos ensued as she tried to pull over the vehicle; then, after a hundred metres or so, the engine abruptly gave up on them and the car bolted further for another ten metres before coming to a complete stop.

Deafening silence followed.

Sachiko kept holding the wheel in a death grip.

The road they were on couldn't have been emptier.

Rain was pouring down from the dark sky.

* * *

**A/N:** In my opinion it is plausible for Sachiko not to know what her feelings for Yumi truly mean because she isn't really a girl 'from this world' so to speak and she has zero experience. Yumi, of course, also has no experience but at least she has grown up in a pretty normal environment (before coming to Lillian). If given more time Sachiko would probably discover herself, but lucky for her she won't be given much more time to figure it out on her own. ;)

Next chapter will be the last. (And it will maybe contain an epilogue of some sort, if I'm not too lazy to write one. xD)

Thanks for making it this far already! And of course SUPER thanks to those who have reviewed so far! As always: feel free to share whatever opinions, thoughts... you have about this story/chapter!


	13. The disappearance of confusion

**A/N:** No cellphones in the world of Maria-sama ga miteru (nor in this AU-ish world). :) Last chapter; enjoy!

I don't own the wonderful world of Maria-sama ga miteru.

**Chapter XIII. The disappearance of confusion  
**

"W-What just happened?" Yumi asked in a stutter. Her face was pale and her body tense.

"I'm not quite sure," Sachiko answered, her voice also shaky. She felt the adrenaline still rush through her body. "I think the car got a flat tire and then its engine broke down. But I'm not sure whether these two things are related to each other."

"The engine's broken down?" Yumi's face turned even paler. "But—Can you try starting the car again?"

Sachiko turned the key in the ignition for a few times, but to no avail: the engine only made a few weak noises until it made no sound at all anymore.

"I have no idea how this could have happened," Sachiko uttered, her voice barely louder than the sound of rain clattering against the car's windows. "Everything was just fine the last time I drove this car."

"And when was that?"

"At the start of this week. There was honestly no sign whatsoever that something was wrong with this car back then!" At this point panic finally started to seep into Sachiko. She let go of the wheel and tried to slump back in her chair, but she noticed her body was too rigid to relax.

Yumi abruptly turned in her chair so she was facing Sachiko. "Of course! Kashiwagi-san drove your car yesterday!" she exclaimed. "He probably has something to do with all of this!"

Sachiko turned her head so she was also looking at Yumi. "That's absurd," she said firmly. "How on earth could he be the fault of this? Although I must say that his driving skills _are_ rather...dangerous," she added thoughtfully.

"Hah! You see?" Yumi looked as if she was making a point here. "I bet it's Kashiwagi-san's fault then! Him and his crappy driving skills!"

"Let's not jump to conclusions hastily here," Sachiko murmured, turning her head back and closing her eyes. She was too shaken up to even say something about Yumi's use of words. She had the feeling she couldn't think straight now.

After a short period of silence, a silence disrupted with the sound of heavy rain in the background, Yumi spoke up again.

"...So what does this mean?" she asked tentatively. Sachiko could feel how Yumi's eyes were still on her.

She opened her eyes and stared outside, at the raindrops on the window blurring the view, at the dark sky, at the empty road. She took a deep sigh and faced Yumi again.

"I'm afraid it means that until it has stopped raining or until someone passes by, we are stuck here," she answered as calmly as she could. "There is no umbrella in this car but I don't think it's wise to go searching for help in this weather in the first place."

"Stuck..." Yumi echoed in a whisper. She suddenly turned her body back and also tried to look outside through her seat window. "It's Sunday," she murmured. "There won't be many cars passing this road... probably..."

"We can't know that for sure, but I'm afraid you're right," Sachiko sighed. "We'll just have to wait here and be patient."

The rain started battering even harder against the car. It was fairly dark in the vehicle even though it was still in the middle of the day. None of the two girls spoke.

Now that they had more or less acknowledged the situation they found themselves in, peace had established itself in the car. Sachiko tried her best to see if there were any other vehicles approaching them, but the only visible things were trees, rain and greyness. She sat back and tried to calm down, but there was a certain restlessness that wouldn't leave her mind. It was an anxiety that wasn't caused by their stranding in the middle of nowhere, but it was anxiety caused by the fact that she was here all alone with Yumi, stuck for Maria-sama knows how long.

Right now Sachiko remembered again what she had told Yumi before those troubles with the car had erupted. Of course she would feel uneasy about that; after all, what she had said could easily be interpreted wrongly by Yumi; plus she had the strongest feeling that something was bound to happen while they were waiting here in the car.

Sachiko kept herself from stealing a glance at Yumi. Touching her must've felt good, she had basically told her. Sachiko felt her cheeks grow warm again; what had she been able to say differently then? After all, it was the truth, and Yumi had somehow forced it out of her.

Yumi...

What had been her reaction? Sachiko could tell that the girl had said something, but she hadn't understood one single thing from it.

Would she try asking her to repeat it?

For some reason, however, Sachiko dreaded to know what Yumi's reaction on it had been. Maybe the girl had only said something jokingly, but maybe...

Sachiko felt a pang go through her heart of which she didn't know why it got there all of a sudden. A gloominess was taking over her as she kept thinking about what Yumi might have said.

The girl had most likely been surprised, but perhaps her reaction had been one of disgust. After all, how many interpretations could Yumi have given to the words she had told her? She herself could only think of one that would make sense...

And would that interpretation even be wrong in the first place?

Sachiko felt more confused than she ever had in her young life. Why was it that Yumi was able to elicit such strange thoughts and emotions from her without even making her question whether those feelings were wrong or right? The only thing she truly wanted to know right now was what e_xactly_ it meant. She was starting to get a vague idea, but that seemed so surreal to her for some reason, like something that could only happen in a dream.

"Sachiko-san?"

Yumi's voice startled Sachiko so bad that she even squeaked out loud.

"Oh? I clearly disturbed you with something," said Yumi and she couldn't hide the amusement she was feeling.

"I-I was just lost in thoughts," Sachiko whispered hoarsely; she could feel her heart drumming in her chest now.

"About?"

Sachiko faced Yumi again only to see the girl staring back at her. "Today," she answered, and that wasn't even a real lie either.

"Ah, yeah," Yumi mumbled. "No kidding. A lot of things have happened in such a short time."

"That's right."

A silence fell but neither of the two girls broke their gaze with the other. Right now Sachiko felt that the idea of something happening to them was stronger than ever. She was getting increasingly more nervous although she tried her best to hide it.

"Is... Is something the matter?" she finally asked when she felt like she couldn't take it anymore; the tension between them had built up so high that it was almost palpable.

"Sachiko-san?" was Yumi's hesitant reaction.

"Yes?"

"Did you, uhm... Did you mean it when you said that your first thought was how good it must've felt? You know, when I asked you...your first thought about touching me...indecently," Yumi concluded with a stammering voice and a very nice red colour on her cheeks.

Sachiko felt that she was also blushing now and that her heart had begun to beat much faster. Well, there was no way she could deny it, right?

"Can't you remember that I told you that I don't ask questions if I'm not serious? Nor do I say things I don't mean," she answered rather stiffly, but it hadn't been her intention to sound so stiff just now. However, despite her cool reaction, she could still clearly see a broad smile appearing on Yumi's face, and that somehow made a strong feeling of happiness find its way into her very soul.

"You—You are smiling," she uttered to Yumi. "Why are you smiling?"

"Am I smiling?" Yumi touched her lips and her smile widened even more. "Ah, I guess you're right." She lowered her fingers again but kept the smile. "I suppose it's because I'm feeling very happy right now?"

"Happy?" Sachiko echoed in a whisper. Her world felt like spinning a bit. Then she suddenly remembered what she wanted to know from Yumi.

"Yumi—What was your first reaction to my words? Before the car broke down?" she asked in a unsteady voice. "I didn't hear it well."

"I asked you exactly the same question," Yumi answered immediately. "Whether you meant those words or not. And now I know."

"Ah. Okay." Sachiko didn't know what else to say as Yumi was still staring at her, and the look in the girl's eyes seemed to be vaguely familiar, like she had seen it before but had forgotten about it. By now her heart was pounding like madness in her chest, but she herself was holding her breath as the tension between her and Yumi was rising again. She noticed that she was very slowly leaning towards Yumi, not once breaking their silent gaze.

This was no good; the longer she stayed in this blissful trance, the more she felt how a new sensation was welling up in her, a strong urge to run her hand through Yumi's hair, grab it and pull her into a kiss that way.

This was no good at all...

"So why are you feeling so happy now?" Sachiko managed to ask. She barely noticed that her voice was no more than a breathless whisper in the cool air. She had to stop leaning towards Yumi, but this indescribable attraction was too big...

"Don't you know, Sachiko-san?" was Yumi's also barely audible reply.

"I—Uhm..." Sachiko was at loss for words, yet she didn't know whether it was due to Yumi's question or due to her proximity with the girl now. Yumi had apparently also been leaning closer to her this entire time, and her bright brown eyes were still boring into hers.

"Let me ask you this, Sachiko-san," said Yumi in a whisper. "Do you actually have a clue what it means when you think that it must feel good to _touch_ me?"

There was something about the way Yumi had said the word 'touch' that made Sachiko squirm in her seat.

"I-I don't know," Sachiko stuttered, completely lost in Yumi's eyes now. She noticed her breathing had become very shallow and that her body felt numb. "Do you?" she added in a murmur, not even aware of what she was actually saying. Her face was so close to Yumi's now that their breaths mingled. Brown eyes were locked with blue ones, and all of a sudden Sachiko could remember where she had seen the look in Yumi's eyes before. It had been yesterday, and they had been dancing with each other, and Yumi had given her a similar look back then...

A hungry look. A look that meant she wanted nothing more than to _ravage_ her on the spot. A look that suddenly made Yumi's feelings for her crystal-clear.

However, Sachiko didn't have much time to grasp this understanding because something else was occupying her mind now. She felt how Yumi had started caressing her cheek and she leaned into the touch but didn't close her eyes, never wanting to break her gaze with the other girl. Her heart was racing painfully in her chest and by now there was only one desire present in her body. She wet her lips.

"I do know what it means," Yumi whispered quietly and her breath tickled Sachiko's lips. "But instead of telling you, I'll show you..."

The first touch of their lips was soft. Sachiko could barely register what had happened before she felt how Yumi's lips touched hers again. And again. And again.

The kisses became harder and Sachiko wrapped both arms around Yumi with one hand tangled in the girl's hair, and Yumi did the same.

At this point every last bit of confusion about her own feelings vanished as her lips came crashing down on Yumi's over and over again. Everything made perfect sense now but Sachiko wasn't given much time to pay attention to her thoughts anymore as her emotions were taking control of her at this point. A heat was rushing through her body like never before and her kisses became more urgent. Yumi moaned softly and Sachiko felt her head spinning; she pulled away with much effort.

"Yumi..." she gasped. Yumi's hair was in a disarray and so was her blouse, and that sight made it difficult for her to come up with words. "You—I...uh..."

"Do you know now what it means?" was the only thing Yumi said in a breathless voice. The look she was giving Sachiko now wasn't one of desire but one of expectance, and Sachiko felt more fond of the girl than ever. It was a fondness that didn't only mean she cared for her deeply, but that she also loved her more than a friend or a soeur; it meant that she loved her from the very depths of her heart. And Sachiko knew perfectly well what it meant now.

"I do," said Sachiko and she lifted a hand to caress Yumi's face. "I understand now what I feel for you and...what you feel for me," she continued, and started stroking the soft skin of Yumi's cheeks. Now it was Yumi's turn to lean into the touch and a smile of pure happiness graced her beautiful features. Sachiko wished this moment could last forever, that she forever could stare at this girl whom she had argued with at first but whom she had learned to appreciate and love deeply. She felt like overflowing with happiness herself.

It wasn't before long that the two girls simultaneously started leaning closer towards each other; Sachiko saw that look of hunger in Yumi's eyes again and felt a strong anticipation well up in her as well. Yet there was still one thing she needed to tell Yumi. When their faces were so close that their breaths mingled again, she opened her mouth.

"Yumi, I lo—"

Her words, however, were cut off when Yumi kissed her hard and slit her tongue in her open mouth. Sachiko's eyes widened in surprise before she closed them slowly, and after the first shock she started to enjoy the feeling of Yumi's tongue exploring the inside of her mouth. Both of her hands got tangled in Yumi's hair as she returned the kiss with much abundance, amazed by how good this all felt. It was hard for her to imagine that she had ever felt confused about what her feelings for Yumi could have meant, because at this point she had never been so sure about what she felt for the girl. She wanted her kiss with Yumi to last forever, just like she wanted to stay by her side forever.

Sachiko deepened the kiss even more. Yumi wrapped her arms around her neck.

The rain was still falling, the sky was still dark and the road was still deserted, but now none of the two girls could care less.

* * *

**Epilogue.**

**

* * *

**

"Gokigenyou, Rosa Chinensis."

"Gokigenyou."

"Gokigenyou, Yumi-sama!"

"Gokigenyou."

Fukuzawa Yumi was walking towards the Rose Mansion for a meeting with the other members of the Yamayurikai. She was actually running a bit late, but she preferably didn't resort to running on the campus grounds, something which she would have easily done a year ago. But in that year a lot had changed, and not only her demeanour at school.

When the Rose Mansion finally came into view Yumi could see a familiar person standing in front of the building. The black-haired beauty noticed her as well and a smile appeared on her face. Even after a year Yumi still felt butterflies in her stomach at the sight of her girlfriend. Her heart started pounding faster as well, just like always.

"Why gokigenyou, Rosa Chinensis," the beauty said when Yumi had reached her.

"Gokigenyou, Sachiko," Yumi greeted back, and she couldn't help the grin on her face. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see how my favourite Rose is doing, of course," Sachiko replied and she lifted a hand to stroke Yumi's hair. "My Rose..." she murmured lovingly and leaned a bit closer as if she wanted to capture Yumi's lips with her own.

"Oh dear, _Sachiko-sama_, we are here on school grounds, must I remind you," Yumi noted in a ladylike speech, but she immediately started to giggle.

Sachiko smirked in mischief—something Yumi had taught her to do. "That is very much correct," she whispered with her face only a couple of inches from Yumi's. "And you are Rosa Chinensis, so you certainly can't be caught doing something...inappropriate at school, am I not correct?"

Yumi smiled at Sachiko and stared deeply into her blue eyes. "That is very much correct, and certainly not when I'm supposed to be sitting in the meeting room already."

"Late, are we?"

"Why yes, but I didn't resort to running, as you have seen."

Sachiko giggled and suddenly pulled Yumi even closer. "Want me to make you attend the meeting even later?" she whispered in a seductive voice and Yumi felt a jolt of electricity run through her body. She kept gazing in Sachiko's eyes and Sachiko returned the stare, and they stayed in that position for a while until both of them started giggling at the same time.

It was true; a lot had happened in a year and Yumi felt like a lot had changed as well.

A year ago no-one, including her, would have imagined that Fukuzawa Yumi would accept becoming Sachiko's petite soeur thus almost inevitably accept the position as the future Rosa Chinensis, nor would anyone probably have been able to imagine Sachiko being able to talk so unladylike. In a year Yumi had learned and seen a lot, and slowly but surely she had come to love the school and its traditions in her own way. However, it had probably been her ever-growing love for Sachiko that had made all those things possible, just like Sachiko was able to behave more outgoing now because she had wanted to for Yumi's sake. Throughout time both of them had realized that there was no need to stubbornly keep hold of what they had known for so long, because situations would change and their behaviour would have to change accordingly. It was that realization that had further strengthened their relationship and love for each other.

When their laughter died away Yumi detached herself from Sachiko and gave her a warm smile. "My, aren't you acting like a tease today," she said. "And we're even at school now! But I do like this side of you, really."

"It's because I haven't seen you for almost a week and I've missed you so much," Sachiko replied and she smiled as well. "And I must say, seeing you behave so properly is rather sexy as well. And you do it so well."

"Of course, I've learned from the best." Yumi winked.

Sachiko grinned and leaned closer again. "So have I," she whispered. "And would you believe me if I told you I was being serious just now? Don't you want me to make you even more late for the meeting..?"

Despite her desire to give in Yumi merely laughed and gave her girlfriend a quick peck on the lips. "How much I'd love for you to do whatever you like to me, I really need to attend this meeting or Yoshino-san will have me grilled. But I'll see you this evening for the party, right?"

"The party..?" Sachiko echoed in confusion. Yumi laughed again and gave Sachiko another kiss, a bit longer this time.

"Yep, the party," she repeated. "The party with just the two of us..."

Yumi gave Sachiko a third kiss, a deep, lingering one this time. Sometimes she still couldn't care much that she was Rosa Chinensis and that many students of Lillian Jogakuen were looking up to her. Sometimes she still couldn't believe it either.

"Mmmm, but now I really need to go," Yumi whispered out of breath. "I'll see you later."

"Yes, later," Sachiko replied, also somewhat breathlessly.

Yumi had to make an effort not to watch Sachiko walk away but instead enter the Rose Mansion. However, when she wanted to close the door behind her she noticed that something was blocking it. After turning around she saw Sachiko slip into the Rose Mansion and gently close the door behind her. In one swift motion Yumi found herself pinned between Sachiko and the door.

"My, what would the students say if they saw the former Rosa Chinensis now?" Yumi uttered in surprise. She definitely liked this hidden side of Ogasawara Sachiko.

Sachiko smirked. "We're all alone here, no-one will see us," she softly said and she lowered her head until it was hovering a few inches above Yumi's. "And I was just thinking now that I want revenge for those three kisses you've stolen from me," she murmured before kissing Yumi full on the mouth.

Yumi had no chance than to give in as a pleasant feeling took over her body; she wrapped her arms around Sachiko and pulled her closer.

Maybe it couldn't hurt to arrive horribly late at the meeting after all.

* * *

**A/N:** Writing this story was a fun way to spend some holiday time, and what pleases me even more is that I got to entertain some people with it too. Thank you so much for reading this fic and sticking with it to the end! Even more thanks to you, reviewers, who strengthened my will to keep going! About the title of my story: I'll leave it up to your own interpretation. :) Now it's time to take a distance from writing once more but at least now I remember again how much fun this can be. :) Bye!


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